The Blue Heart
by MissKeith
Summary: A beautiful girl with a horrible curse. He wants to save her and have his love returned. But all a creature like her knows is lust. Part3of3 AbexOC
1. Eyes Like Spring And Heart Of Ashes

The Blue Heart

Part One of Three

"Eh, uh…crap." Red grumbles as he hastily moves a piece to another square before snapping his head up to look at Abraham expectantly. "King-me."

Abe tilts his head in question before elegantly waving his hand upwards and swaying his finger to point down at the game. Hellboy watches this motion as if it were some mystical opening to a boring speech of some kind. He lets out a blunt grunt as Abe plainly states to him.

"This is chess."

"Chess?" Hellboy questions as he looks down at the game. "We're playin chess? I hate chess." He grumbles.

"We've already been playing for well over a half an hour." Abe offers. "We should finfish the match."

"Crap.' He grumbles. "I aint playin none of this war and strategy crap. I'm a man who lives on impulse." He leans back in his chair and gently puffs at his cigar with a sense of self achievement. "That how ya win a fight, Blue. Action, not all that think'n. Just gets you killed, in the real world you need to act."

"Yes, Red…your impulses sure do win a lot of battles. Just like that brawl last Tuesday with the snack machine." He notes, raising a finger in thought.

"Not my fault. Damn thing wouldn't give me my Red Bull."

"It certainly looked as if it were struck by a red bull after you had finished with it." He quips, a little faster than he usually is to crack a joke.

Abraham smiles at his own folly, until Hellboy reaches over and lets his stone hand fall freely onto the game. The hand crafted oak board shatters into two splintered pieces and all of the pieces that were in play shatter into tiny chips of wood. It had been a very luxurious gift from Professor Broom on Abe's last birthday, which causes him to stare in utter disbelief at his ruined treasure. Hellboy smirks a 'oops' as Liz enters the room sporting a new jacket. Black, naturally. She looks over at the two boys, recognizing Red causing trouble right away by his quick to fade wide eyed expression.

"Nice duds, Liz." He gives her a light whistle and she returns with a small death glare.

"Nice place to set your hand." She nods downwards towards his hand still resting on the table among the ruined game.

"Heh. I guess this is what they mean by getting caught red handed?" He lowers his head slightly to look away from Liz's scolding eyes. "Watch it, I might catch fire."

Abraham looks down at his game dishearted. He cannot blame his friend for acting childishly because, he really isn't the intellectual sort and as Hellboy stated, he does plan little. Sighing quietly as to not draw attention to himself as Liz scolds Hellboy for his carelessness, Abraham gently touches a shattered piece that was once a pawn.

"Abe." Liz calls. "Abe!" She starts walking back towards the door as he finally looks up at her. "Time to go."

Abe looks around, noticing for the first time that the red lights are going off around him. He gets up and follows Liz and Hellboy out of the recreational mess hall and down a passageway that leads to their top secret briefing room. Hellboy enters the room first and noticing his father, tosses his cigar out into the hall. Abe jumps as the glowing tobacco nearly touches him. Professor Broom, who is standing near a large bulletin board turn around to see Abe shut the door. He looks at his son, Hellboy with fatherly affection.

"What's up pop?" Hellboy asks. "Troll? Goblin? Demon?"

"No, my son. What we have here is a travesty." Broom begins as he walks over to the table and gestures the team to sit. "Your transportation will arrive shortly, but I want you to be forewarned. This which you are after today is very dangerous. Do not take chances if it attacks you."

"Sure pop." Hellboy nods. "I'll take care of the nasty."

"Then please, as always…be careful." He gestures for them to approach a thick metal door, which opens to reveal the back of the garbage truck.

The building's first impression is that it was probably once a very pleasant museum. As the three monster hunters cautiously enter the building, they notice its charming design and exhibits mean little when they are covered in human blood. Abe walks ahead of Hellboy and Liz, waving his hand gracefully through the air as if it were whisking through waves. For a moment he looks back at Hellboy, who is itching to pull out his gun. Liz's energy is twisted, but then again she always gets nervous during missions. Naturally, Hellboy is concerned for Liz's safety, which is why he is scooting closer to her the further in they go.

"Get out of my head, Abe." Hellboy growls, slightly irritated. "I got that itch that your in there so don't even try and fake a lie fishstick."

"Oh." Abe squeaks, slightly embarrassed to have been reading his friend on an almost subconscious level. "Sorry, Red." Abe stutters as he moves a little further ahead of his partners.

He sees a door, which catches his eye. Something eerie pulls him towards a source of energy he cannot place. Abe gently touches the door, but jerks his hand back as he sees the sights behind this structure. Hellboy and Liz stop just a few feet behind him waiting for a diagnosis.

"Behind this door…it's horrifying." He explains. "So much blood."

Hellboy gently moves Abe aside. All three stand in perfect silence as the door is slowly opened. "So much blood" is an understatement. Liz walks up and places her hand on Hellboy's shoulder. He gives her a nod and they enter.

"Abe…when you say blood…" Liz breathes. "This is so gross. What happened to these people? I'm going to be sick."

"A beast." Abe replies. "A wolf of some dark origin."

"Well this wolf obviously needs to be put down. I mean it stinks in here there's so much blood. A demon couldn't tell its tail from a rats ass in here." Hellboy grumbles as he covers his nose.

Abe waves his hand around the room, somehow knowing he should look for something. Then he catches a pulse. A very light heartbeat draws him to a large Victorian cabinet. He runs his hand along the side of it to be sure, retracting his hand as a body proves to be inside. Hellboy leans around Abe to watch the cabinet open, gun ready as he expects some demon thing with large snarling teeth to leap out. But instead, he sees a girl. She has stained white hair that is draped over her unclothed form.

Leaning down with his bare hand, Abe gently lifts the girl's head and it rolls limply to one side. Anxiously, Hellboy and Liz crowd Abe and the strange, seemingly dead young woman. Waving his hand over her face, Abe sees a flustering array of memory fragments. Images of rolling hills covered in green grass and flowers under a warm sun and a new blue silk dress unfold before his eyes. Hundreds, thousands of pages from books as old as the printing press itself flood in pieces to his mind. Abe can taste the sweet flavor of milk chocolate on his tongue. But most of all he fells the young woman's gentle heart and her eager mind. Her name is Maria Beauty…she loves romance novels and chocolate. Abe blinks. All of a sudden, nothing.

"I-I think she may have passed." Abe sighs.

"Naw, blue…" Hellboy awes. "Her eyes are cracked open."

Abe looks down and sees her half lit eyes, gray and grim with pain and despair. She parts her lips as if to speak, but falls limp. The water in Abe's breathing apparatus bubbles as he inhales sharply. Holding her head upright, Abe keeps her stable. Hellboy leans down next to Abe and whispers.

"What did you see?" He asks.

"Flowers and chocolate." Abe whispers, his mind far from this world.

"Uh, fellas?" Liz coughs. "You know that girl's naked? I'm not completely sure she's of age to be viewed bare by you two old crows."

"Uh…" The two guys say in unison.

Abe and Hellboy quickly avert their eyes.

"Hey Liz." Hellboy beckons. "Let me see yer jacket." He blindly reaches his hand out behind him expectantly.

"It's brand new." She sighs as she hands it over. "Why don't you use yours?"

"Do you want me wearing a jacket that some random naked girl was in. Little creepy." He notes, turning his head around to look at her.

"Point taken." She nods, rolling her eyes.

Hellboy throws the jacket on top of the woman and as gently as possible scoops her up into his arms. Her head rolls limply to the side and all three gasp at her pale porcelain face. Abe gently raises his hand to double check her pulse, but retracts it. She takes in a sudden breath and curls up against Hellboy like an injured kitten.

"Poor thing." Liz whispers. " We'd better get her to a hospital."

"We cannot." Abe insists. "She needs to be taken back to headquarters."

"Why?" Liz asks. "Does she have any information we can use to catch this thing?"

"If Abe has a hunch, then lets get her back to headquarters." Hellboy grunts as he turns to Liz. "For all we know…she is the attacker."

--

Professor Broom highly suggested the young woman be brought to the special infirmary located just past the library. He told Hellboy and the others to watch the young woman as she rested and to inform him if she awakens.

Laid out on the hospital bed the strange victim rests. Hellboy, Liz and Abe sit in a set of scattered chairs stolen from a nearby conference room as a nurse finishes up the last check up on the girl. Leaning over, Hellboy snaps his fingers to catch Abe's attention. Abe looks over at Hellboy with narrowed eyes as the action irritates him.

"Hey Blue. Why'd we need a nurse? How come your not bandaging our guest like usual?" He asks.

"Because, the young lady has several injuries that are not within my jurisdiction to view let alone touch even for medical purposes…it's better if I let someone of the same sex perform the repair." He pauses as Hellboy gives him a rather blank expression. "You see Red. The young lady…has several…areas…"

"Oh…" He nods slowly.

Hellboy leans back into his chair, lazily reaching his hand over and draping it around Liz's shoulders. He gives Abe a devilish smile and chuckles from knowledge he keeps in his head. Obviously thinking something perverted, Hellboy wags his tail back and forth as he gives Abe an uncomfortable stare. Liz glares at Hellboy and he looks away at a wall. Abe settles for a moment, before a quick line from Hellboy catches his attention.

"What was that, Red?" He asks before he thinks.

Rather quickly Abe wishes he had kept his mouth shut.

"Heh. I said, I guess you've never seen a pair."

"I-I certainly have n-n-not!" He stammers.

Abe jitters uncomfortably in his seat, retracting his hands to his chest as he looks bashfully down at the ground. The action causes Hellboy to bellow out a hearty laugh. Abe's entire body stiffens as his face is splashed with a warm sensation only he can feel when his adrenaline rises. Naturally though, Hellboy knows the sapien too well and only laughs louder as he recognizes his embarrassment. Liz gives Hellboy a well deserved love-tap as he wipes a tear from his eye. The nurse gives the three friends a nod as she makes her way out of the room.

"You examined her when we got here…not that you peeked or anything." Hellboy grins devilishly. "I think this little mystery girl has you swimming upstream. Is that it? Specially since you didn't want to touch her."

"Red." Liz warns.

"I gave some initial care giving…I-I have obligations as a gentlemen." Abe states in his defense.

"That you do." Liz agrees, admiring Abe's old fashion manners.

"Eh, get a room you two. I was just joke'n" Hellboy whims as he makes his way over to the bed. "Lets get a good look at our little guest.

The other two follow behind him. Hellboy leans down towards the bed and tilts his head to the side. This young woman…is beautiful. Her hair is white, but it looks like strands of silver silk, her skin appears to be made of soft luminescent porcelain and her lashes are a thick feathery outline for the bottom of a very large eye. It is very easy to imagine that her eyes would be large and shinning. Liz walks around Hellboy and awes at the beauties eerie and mysterious appearance. Abe looks over Hellboy's shoulder and silently gazes upon the face of an angel.

"She's beautiful…" Liz awes.

"Quite." Abe quirks and attempts to cover his blunder with a forced cough. "Now…as to why she needed to be secured in B.P.R.D. headquarters." Abe gently lifts her puffy upper lip to reveal a pearly white fang.

"I was beginning to wonder…" Hellboy mumbles as he takes a closer look at the girl. "So she's the monster, eh. Wolf?"

"No…" Liz looks up at Abe with disbelief. "Blue, is she a vampire?"

"A venturess of the night, drinker of human blood…yes, most commonly known as a vampire." Abe states as if delivering a lecture.

"So what do uncommon people call them, professor?" Hellboy taunts.

Abe raises his hand as if to answer…but honestly has none so he directs their attention back to the young lady with a fluent wave of his hand.

"This woman was probably a target for a wolf as they are natural enemies of vampire folk." Abe continues.

"Cool." Hellboy nods as he looks down at the girl.

"This isn't a joke red." Liz crosses her arms as she speaks. "Aren't vampires, I dunno…dangerous? And werewolves? We could be looking at a really big problem here."

"Vampires…" Abe begins as he recaptures their attention. "…can be, when they are hungry." He pauses and looks back down at the girl while raising his bare hand. "This one appears to be quite tame. Not all vampires are evil."

"As demons can sometimes be good." Liz says with a soft smile as she gently grasps Hellboy's hand. "Sometimes." She gives it a light squeeze.

As the two lovebirds stare into each others eyes, Abe looks down at something with a frail, angel-like appearance. His large, amphibious eyes gaze at this mysterious damsel in distresses inhumanly beautiful face. Abe wonders what color her eyes are as he senses a mixture of emotions within himself. A familiar voice causes him to turn around.

"Evening, children." Professor Broom greets. "Where and who is our little guest?"

"She's right here pop." Hellboy points to the girl with his stone hand. "apparently, she's a vampire or something'."

Professor Broom raises a brown at the propostion that his team had captured an actual vampire. He exclaims an expression of brief surprise before by the aid of his cane, he makes his way to the young woman's bedside. His old hands switch his cane among them until he settles in a comfortable standing position. Hellboy and the others part to give him some room.

"Vampire…haven't seen one of those in awhile." He chuckles. "And it's a young lady…very pretty." He nods. "How is her health fairing Abe?"

Abe steps forwards timidly looking away from the girl. He explains to Professor Broom that she will need plenty of bed rest as her injuries are substantial. Professor Broom notes an odd air to Abraham, as his eyes dart to catch the girl in his peripheral vision and then spring back to him.

"Well, you see…" Abe stifles a cough. "She has a great deal of physical stress immanent, but no scars besides a large gash across her chest. It should heal fine as long as she is provided for." Abe pauses, mentally imagining what a vampire feeds on. "S-She, uh-oh excuse me…has a concussion as well as a head wound, but no brain damage as well." He pauses, before informing. "…I managed too get the young ladies name as well. Maria Beauty."

"Eh, she is quite a looker." Hellboy jokes, earning a punch from Liz. "Crap. Just kiddn babe."

"Don't call me babe." She grunts, giving him another light tap.

"Thank you…Hellboy." The professor sighs. "Thank you Abe." He gives him a light smile.

"My pleasure, professor." Abe waves his hand gently in the air as he speaks.

"What are we going to do with her professor?" Liz asks timidly.

"First we must get her well." He begins. "Then we determine if she is willing to cooperate or not. But, with a face like that…I cannot imagine we would have a problem." Professor Broom , muses.

"Vampires have a natural aura…a scent that attracts others to them." Abe recites.

"Yes, I am aware Abraham. But, something tells me this young lady is going to give us very little trouble at all."

Recalling the images he saw when he first found her, Abe has to silently agree. The young woman tilts her head to the side as she lets out a groan of pain. Her body is tired and worn from running, but she is attempting to wake up. Everyone stands still. Professor Broom looks down at her pained expression and turns to Abraham with his hand raised and pointing. Abe stands to attention, ready for orders.

"Go and fetch her a glass of cold water." Broom instructs.

Abe nods his head turns to leave.

"Of course, professor. I'll be right back." He calls as he turns the corner.

"I'm sure you will." Hellboy chuckles.

As Abe runs down the hall towards the private kitchen for him and his comrades he cannot help but feel an air of something new within himself. Something about this woman seems to have everything about him in a knot. Her aura is just so gentle, yet alive with passion. He felt her sense of humanity when he accidentally peeked in her mind, though she managed to keep him out after a moment even in her state…which is very amazing in itself, Abraham learned of her love for reading romance novels and walking in the rain under a full moon. And of course, he also got her name. Maria Beauty…and she is quite beautiful.

Just as Abe enters the kitchen and opens the fridge, he hears a horrible shriek. It is unlike anything he has ever heard before; loud and shrill, so filled with terror it makes his skin crawl. His heart threatens to leap from his chest as he recognizes where it is resonating from. Abe runs with all his might down the hallway, his webbed feet hitting the floor with hard smacks. The medical ward is reached in no time at all with his long legs and Abe swings the door open full force. As he looks into the room, he is utterly speechless.

There, pressed against the wall is Maria, her long hair flowing around her as she clenches the cloth blanket to her bosom. Her beautiful face is filled with fear as tears well up in her wide eyes. She screams again at Hellboy and Abe looks down at himself for a good minute. He steps back and hides behind the wall.

"A-A-Demon!" She screams. "Oh, God! I've died and gone to Hell! Stay away from me! G-Go away! Lord I couldn't have been that bad!" She cries as she snatches any little thing within reach and hurls it at Hellboy.

"I had her figured to be the fainting type." Hellboy grunts as a pen hits his head. "Lady calm down. Control yourself, will ya? If its about the water, I'm sure Abe will be back any second!"

"Go away!"

"I'm nowhere near you!" Hellboy shouts, blocking her weaponry with his stone hand.

"Please, people…be civilized." Professor Broom booms his voice through the room. "Young lady you are in B.PR.D Headquarters…far enough way from Hell. You are alive, well and safe, so please calm yourself."

Maria freezes in place and eyes the professor questioningly. She sniffs as tears continue to lightly stream down her flushed face. Broom gestures for Liz to approach him. Maria seems skeptical, but takes Liz's hand and is brought over to the professor. Maria sizes up Broom, intentionally or unintentionally she deciphers that he can be trusted and cautiously extends her hand. Broom notices the young woman's shaky movements and sure enough, she soon passes out from the sudden excitement. Liz catches her and Hellboy helps heave the girl back onto the bed.

"Has a little fight in her." Liz comments.

"Yes…but, she was so afraid." He looks down at the sleeping woman before looking up and around. "Did Abraham return yet?"

Abe feels like a stone has taken a place in his heart. He had hoped so deeply to be friends with this girl…but if she reacts that way towards Red she will surely hate him. Then again, how self-conscious has he ever been before? Plenty of people have seen Abe and yes, some freak out but most are just shocked. Women usually feint, with one exception. Being, Liz of course.

Some time ago, Abe had been interested in vampire ways after a rumored attack in Transylvania. Vampires need fresh blood as nourishment and develops a scent that attracts others to them. Being fish and man, Abe shouldn't be affected by her power…but he admits his own loneliness might be the cause. Regardless, Abe wonders why he should care so much because she would never like him more than a friend, though the thought crosses his mind.

He sighs deeply, wondering if there is a way to show how similar they are without physically confronting her. At the least, he can make her stay more comfortable. Regardless, he feels her vampiric powers affecting him in more ways than one and mentally notes that keeping his distance would be wise whether she freaks out or not.

"Abe." Hellboy snaps as he leans out into the hallway. "Stop sitting on the floor and get in here with that water. Don't worry, the crazy vampire is sleeping now."

"Oh…yes." Abe slowly gets to his feet and cautiously enters the room.

--

Maria sits in her own little room, given to her upon clearing the hospital tests. She still has to get plenty of bed rest, but at least she can walk down to the kitchen if she wishes or as the professor mentioned…the library.

She is very grateful at how accommodating the people are being. Abraham, apparently a medical expert of some kind diagnosed her with a case of amnesia so no time can tell how long she will have to wait to remember...anything. For now, she feels a contentment, as this place which does resemble something of an underground prison also seems to be very safe. No one is mean to her and everyone goes out of their way to make her comfortable. She looks at herself in the vanity and admits that some of that care may be because of her natural beauty.

Maria sits down at a simple vanity and looks at her green eyes. They resemble spring.

…_you should see them when they're red…_

"W-Wha-" She shakes her head.

"Maria?" Liz calls as she gently raps on the door. "You here?"

"Y-Yes. Please come in Liz.

"I hope the clothes fit okay?" Liz asks. "Sorry, but we have to finish filing your paperwork before we can get you some clothes of your own."

"It fine." Maria says as she looks down at the long blue gown and then up at Liz's dark clothes. "Does not seem like an article you would wear." She comments idly.

"It was a gift from an agent on my birthday." Liz says with a smile. "Never worn, see there's the tag sticking out right over there." She points.

"Oh." Maria exclaims, slightly embarrassed. "It's very lovely anyway." She comments as she carefully removes the tag.

"I, uh have something for you." Liz awkwardly offers Maria a small book with an envelope stuck inside like a bookmark. "It's from…"

"Abraham?" Maria asks as she reads the name signed at the bottom of the paper. "He diagnosed me." She says, waiting for a nod from Liz. "How nice. I love books." She gently says as she cradles the item to her chest.

"We have a library." Liz mentions.

"I forget." Maria says softly. "I don't like to wander around." She adds as she reads the note.

_Dear Miss Maria Beauty,_

_I wish you the best of luck in your recovery. Please enjoy this small token of an extended hand towards friendship. Please do not hesitate to request anything from me. I think you enjoy books. Here is one I am sure you will like if you wish to indulge yourself._

_-Abraham_

"He wanted to help you feel a little more welcome." Liz adds.

"What a sweet man." Maria whispers as she gently runs her fingers over the cover of the book. "I-I think I love this book." She smiles, almost smitten. "How utterly sweet…and thoughtful." She sighs. "You know, the stories in books are eternal. They never age." More of a misplaced thought than a statement, she gets an odd nod from Liz, but continues on topic. "How did he know?" She asks, her eyes laminated with intrigue.

"Honestly, Abe is a telepath and can read minds. He was the one who found you and when he picked you up, he probably accidentally read a bit of your mind." Liz answers honestly.

"Everyone here is so inhuman in the most peculiar way." Maria muses. "I feel oddly…at home. Among these rather irregular creatures." She chuckles. "But, I shouldn't because I'm only human."

The professor had thought it better to tell Maria the truth when she was ready. Liz wonders how long it will take for her to remember on her own. Another thought beckons the idea of feeding. Will Maria get that lusty hunger everybody muffles about behind her back…or can she simply, not remember?

"You're special too." Maria softly says, catching Liz's attention.

"Yes." Liz states unashamed. "But you know, those who don't look normal…like me, you know how Red-"

She's cut off by Maria's voice.

"Abraham?" She asks, her green eyes wide. "I remember him finding me." She gently hold up his note. "He smells like rain."

Maria's mind seems to jump quite often, as when her fascination with a subject is sparked she can completely forget about any previous thought and merely focuses on a new on. Sometimes Maria seems like a child with her inability to stay focused on certain subjects as she often only hears and says what is at the top of her head. If something is deemed any less important than critical to explain or consider, she simply forgets about it.

Liz shuffles from side to side, not really knowing how to dance around Abe's appearance. Yeah, Hellboy is a weird looking guy, but Abe…he's a walking fish. Not wanting to harm Abe's chances of making a new friend and a simple knowledge of how fondly he thinks of the beautiful young girl, Liz attempts to deliver an explanation that does hardly any explaining at all. Much like a politician.

"Abe…" She draws his name out for more thinking time. "He's special, like Red and me…but not the same as either of us."

"I've heard his voice." She says, picking the book up. "I could sense him somehow, when I was frightened in the room…because he was so sad." Maria looks out into the hallway.

"Can you read minds?" Liz asks.

"No." Maria answers. "I'm pretty sure I'm just a normal girl. Though I pick up how people feel pretty easily." She gives Liz a warm smile before fiddling with her fingers. "Is…he nice?" She asks.

"The…nicest guy in the world." Liz whispers as she goes to leave Maria with her book. "It should be a crime."

--

Maria quickly becomes fascinated with Abe and he only grows more and more infatuated with her as time passes by. A month later and they have exchanged more letters than most write in a lifetime. Maria tells him everything about the memories she is slowly getting returned to her and he tells her about all kinds of information he learns through his constant reading. Abe carries a new kind of spring in his step. The contents secrecy of his letters to Maria become more and more revealing of his inner most thoughts as she tells him hers.

Meanwhile, the Professor watches her closely without hovering, just to keep an eye out for the day she recalls what she is…for it may or may not be a good one. It is easy and true to say that her attention to Abe is nothing short of unnerving. No one can say that a vampire does not feed wherever there is food…but feedings are generally backed with some kind of preference to the vampire. After all, when one generally dines they tend to eat what they like.

Something in particular that had first sparked Broom's concern is Maria's longing to go on walks at night. Special meals have been prepared for her consisting of very rare cooked steaks and anything filled with iron…but Broom worries she may be remembering what it tastes like to have a thick red liquid freshly sucked form the neck of a hansom young man. He cannot ignore how often she speaks of Abe with her questions…and then the letters.

" Dear Abraham…The moon was so beautiful last night, I wish you could have joined me for a stroll. How I wish I could have." Abe sighs as he sits at his desk and gently sets the returned book down. "…please let me say how flattered I am that you enjoyed my thoughts on Dickinson, as I must say the text was a bit hard to follow, though I know I've read it before. I love to read, but sometimes things don't go through so well." He smiles to himself as he imagines her wrinkling her nose as she gently smiles.

…_Though I love writing to you, dear Abraham I wish to at the least speak with you. I know I said I wouldn't at your discretion, but I am in dire need of some comfort and advice. Please come to my room as soon as you can. I will wait up all night if you make me… _

Abe looks up at the door to the library. He gently touches his breathing apparatus as he takes the letter and places it within the book. Swaying his hand he reshelves the novel and walks over to his tank in deep thought. Abe gently touches the glass and thinks about actually talking to Maria and maybe…even seeing her face. Ashamed as he may be, Abe has seen her in the library numerous times and has spied on her reading books for hours on end. He loves to look at her beautiful silk hair and catch a glimpse of her bright green eyes. Of course, if he could just see her without her screaming and freaking out, Abe would not have to resort to spying, but in the meantime…it's a dirty little secret no one has to ever find out about.

Before he even realizes that he is walking, Abe is at her door.

"Maria?" Abe gently taps on the door. "M-Maria?" Nervously, he twitches a turn to leave.

"Abraham?" Her sweet silver bell voice calls. "You came!"

"Of course. Anything you need…" He stops as he sees the handle to the door turning and throws all of his weight into the door. "Please Maria! You can't see me, that's the only way I can stay. I-I'm sorry."

"Very well." She sighs after a moments pause. "Abraham…I couldn't take the chance of someone reading my letters. You're the only one I can talk to." She slides to the floor on the other side of the door. "I sleep all day and want to stay up all night…and I've been having the utter most horrid nightmares." Her voice begins to quiver. "And sometimes without any reason at all I get this metallic taste in my mouth…like I've been licking a battery." She gently touches her lips and feels her sharp teeth.

…_and…you like it…_

Maria briefly looks around, but they are the only ones there.

"I think I'm going insane. There's this voice…" Her voice drops to utter. "It makes me feel odd."

Abe freezes. Maria is remembering her hunger most likely.

"I-I'm sure its nothing." Abe stammers. "Perhaps you are just feeling ill and have yet to realize it." He offers. "Maybe you should lie down."

"Abraham." She breathes, sounding mesmerized. "I…don't know how to say this, but…" She takes in a sharp breath. "My body feels empty, like its missing something. I don't know exactly what it wants, but when I hear your voice…"

…_You get a little thirsty… _

Maria stops to listen, but the voice is already gone. It had not sounded like Abraham, but who else could be speaking? It still sounds odd to Maria, but she would be able to smell another person if they were there. As she gently sniffs the air she can smell Abe, and he smells like rain.

…_Go on dear, invite him in for a drink…_

"Did you say something Abraham?" Maria asks, a little shocked.

"W-Why…no. I was w-waiting for you to continue." He stammers, still a little flushed by the derogatory way she was explaining her predicament. "Please…c-continue."

"Abraham. I'm just so confused." She dryly sobs. "I'm missing something, I know I am…but I don't know, what it is." Maria grabs a hold of the hem of her blue dress and swishes it lightly. "Oh, I can't stand being so close to you…yet I cannot see or touch you." She lowers her voice to a soft whisper towards the end. "I like to see people when I speak to them. It's hard to tell what others think when you cannot see their eyes." She pouts.

"I know…and, I'm deeply sorry." He says. "Perhaps you should tell…the Professor of your ailment though. Maybe he can help."

"Abraham…am I different like Red and Liz…like you?" She suddenly asks.

"Maria." He pauses, considering what to say. "You are very special."

"What am I?" She asks.

"I cannot tell you…you must remember." He says, leaning against the door. "I-I have to go Maria. Goodbye."

"Goodbye Abraham…" She softly says as she listens to his soft steps fade.

…_Yes…Goodbye Abraham…_

The voice again. Maria tenses her body, listening for it to speak again.

…_Dear, Maria I'm glad you're starting to listen…took you long enough…_

Maria darts her eyes back and forth as a chill runs up her spine.

…_What a smooth voice that man has, though you can tell he's got that older gentleman speak…_

"What?" Maria jumps, looking around. "Who's there?"

…_just your conscience Maria, here to guide you…_

"Guide me? Is this a trick?" Maria asks as she begins searching around her room for a microphone or camera. "Is this a trick?"

…_Not a trick. All I want is to help you…_

"How exactly?" Maria asks as she takes a seat on her fluffy bed.

…_You really like Abraham…_

"Yeah. I do." She smiles, gingerly tilting her head and lightly biting her lower lip as she grins..

…_He's the proper type…old fashioned…but I can get him in your bed…or you in his…_

"I didn't say I wanted to sleep with Abraham." Maria huffs, a little offended. "What gave you that idea?"

…_perhaps all those dreams gave me an idea… _

"What dreams?" Maria says defensively. "Who told you?" A deep red hue covers her cheeks.

…_there is a reason why you feel the way you do when you speak to him…_

"I really do like him." Maria says as she twiddles her fingers.

…_you really like him…you want him…_

"Will you stop with that!" She shouts as she shoves her head into a pillow. "Go away!"

…_dear, it is okay to feel this way…it is in your nature…it is what you vampires do after all…_

"Vampire?" Maria quirks as her head springs form the fluff of the pillow. "Did you say vampire, mysterious voice form nowhere?"

…_it's perfectly normal to want…_

"But…what…" Maria stammers as memories trickle into her head.

…_you're starting to remember what you are…those cheap tricks won't keep working for long…_

"Tricks? The steaks and liver?" Maria asks, and answers her own question as all pieces begin to make sense. "I am…a vampire." She falls back down onto her bed with a heavy sigh. "I'm getting hungry…" She mumbles, stating the fact as it dawn on her. "That's what's happening to me. It's coming back." She looks up at the ceiling drearily.

…_yes, you are…and I know what you want…_

Maria digs her nails into the sheets as images flood her mind without warning. Red, everywhere everything is red. She shuts her eyes tight, but still…red.

…_you want blood…very specific blood…more than just blood…_

"I want…" She forces her eyes closed and rakes her nails across her bed sheet as her body stiffens. "I-I want…" Gritting her teeth, Maria slowly rises from her bed, eyes glowing red. :I want…Abraham…" Her voice is a quiver as she fights the inability to control her bodies reaction to the thought.

…_yes…that is the only thing that will make the red go away child…_

"B-But Abraham…" Maria stammers as her hands clench. "I don't want to hurt him." She quivers.

…_take your time and be gentle with him…while you can still control yourself…_

"Abraham." She sighs dreamily as she gently bites the end of her pillowcase.

…_yes young, beautiful Maria…go woo your first evening meal in weeks…_

"Only if he wants to…I won't force him, just dance around the idea and if he, you know goes along with it…" She muses.

Outside the library, Maria adjusts her dress, tugging it down to show a little of herself off. She peeks inside to see that a reading light is on. Creeping into the room, she sighs as he manages to sense her anyways and scrambles off into the shadows. Her eyes light up with curiosity. He's very tall and thin, with broad yet slender shoulders and seems to be wearing a pair of tight swimming shorts. Maria had imagined he would be quite skinny considering his constant mentioning of how much he enjoys to swim. And Abraham does seem to be built like a swimmer.

"M-Maria! Oh, my. Oh, I-I must go!" He quivers as he goes to open a door.

"Abraham…" Maria pleads, gently sliding her hand along the top of his desk as she walks towards him. "Please don't go. I…I can't do it any longer."

"W-What?"

"I know what I am…" She whispers. "And everything that has been happening to me is because of it. It won't be long till I can no longer fight. I need comfort, please help me."

Her voice is so soothing to the ears and enticing to the soul that Abe finds he cannot move, let alone get away. Maria bats her lashes at him and sways her hips as she leans against the chair. Purposed movements or just habit Abe cannot tell, but she does seem to genuinely need his help. Abe watches her size him up by his silhouette, her eyes roaming everywhere. He makes a small choking sound as her eyes fall upon his flesh like a blistering heat. Leaving would only hurt her feelings, but revealing himself may prove a drastic decline in her letter writing. Either way, he might as well get it out there…his appearance and all.

"You will not like what you see." He warns.

"I don't care what I see." She whispers as she beckons for him to come into the light. "Please, you said you would do anything for me…let me see you. Let me know that, you do exist. Give me a face to put in my dreams to give my mind some peace, Abraham."

Abe stares into her red eyes hypnotized. He cannot help but obey her command as he slides his foot out into the light. Maria recoils back, struck by surprise as she sees his webbed toes.

…_Abraham is an animal…_

The voice echoes in Maria's head as she tries to make her body run to the door, but the entity makes her body stiff and immobile. Once in full lighting, Abe looks down at Maria and gives her an awkward smile. She crooks her neck to see his face clearly and notices the most odd, yet beautiful markings on his skin. She wonders if he is real though he is right in front of her now. Reaching her hand out Maria gently lets her fingertips touch the cold, smooth skin of his stomach. Abe shivers at the gentle touch on his sensitive skin. Surprised by the gesture, he recoils back into the shadows.

…_It's like wanting to sleep with your goldfish…_

Maria takes a light step back as she brings her hand to the crook of her neck. Her large eyes are open wide and display an array of emotion flowing through her mind like a raging river. She breathes very quietly, afraid to startle Abraham further and yet she also wonders how she can make an excuse to leave. Abe tries to remain as still as possible. He twitches his fingertips, feeling something from her though it is difficult to get a clear reading from her without waving his hand. Even without a scanning he can tell she is afraid…but also intrigued to a degree. Whether that is generally good or not is still up for grabs.

"Maria." Abe speaks at last as he nervously cups his hands together. "We're two civil…creatures…" He notes, realizing he is not technically a person and she, used to be a human at some point. "Please, do not be fooled by my appearance." He emphasizes by waving his hand over his face with a fluent gesture. "As my letters have explained to you, I'm a very well established intellectual. As are you, with all that you have read in your lifetime." He offers, lightly moving his center of gravity forward.

" You do appear to be." She whispers. "You…think I'm intellectual?" She asks.

"Your thoughts on Madea really made me think of the story in another light." He comments, taking a step forwards.

The action surprises Maria who jumps backwards by reflex. She continues to look at Abe with wide eyes. No one has ever cared about what she thinks…people can never get past talking about how beautiful she is to speak or think of anything she says. Especially here. Yet, he reads her letters and despite appearances has a gentleman charm she feels she can relate to.

She calls herself shallow, but she cannot ever let her own mental attraction over ride physical dislike. Maria sits herself down and sighs as she looks down at the floor. As freaky as it is that she has some attraction to a fish-man…being in his presence calms a side of her that has until now been restless. Perhaps it is his caring stare, but something about him gives Maria peace.

"…_I can't hate him…its too late…as shallow as I am…" _Maria thinks to herself, careful to not think hard enough for him to be able to hear.

She chuckles tiredly.

"When they said do not judge a book by its cover…there should have been an equal quote reading; pages do not describe the cover." She looks up at Abe and smiles. "Funny how it means the same thing as well as something completely different at the same time." Her smile falters slightly as she sees Abe's saddening face. "Can you still help me, Abraham?"

"If you will let me." He cheers, contained. "Please, how may I help?" He steps up to her with zest and a wave of his hand, honestly surprised when she does not flinch.

"I'm a vampire…" She says it with little emotion. "And now I remember my thirst. I can no longer trick my brain…and my body has not forgotten for I am growing weak. In more ways than one." Her eyes fade to their liberating green, though appear faded. "Can you help me…"

"Maria…"Abe gasps, recoiling within himself. "How…I…"

Though the original plan was to suck his blood, she certainly cannot go through with it. Besides the fact that Abe is a walking goldfish…he really is a sweet, thing. Her mind works fast to develop a plan.

"Easy." She smiles. "Take me on a night walk…and I'll go out." She suggests coyly as her eyes flicker red.

"Are you suggesting that I…aid in an attack on an innocent citizen?" Abe asks, appalled at the idea of Maria sucking the blood from someone. "I cannot."

Maria tilts her eyelids as the voice in her mind breaks through like hazy static.

…_don't take no as an answer…you know how to get what you want…_

Maria's eyes become stained with a bloody red and instantly transfixes Abraham.

…_no is never an option…for any man…_

"But you must." She softly claims. "You already promised me anything. Do you always go back on your word, Abraham?"

Inside her something is boiling. The blood is almost for another source besides herself or at least it feels that way. Maria begins to feel a bit of panic as she realizes how much she needs the blood and how desperate she will get if she does not drink. If she loses control…Abraham may pay for it…

"I…cannot help you hurt people. We can get you blood packs, Maria-"

"It's not the same Abraham." She quickly snaps. "If I don't get the real deal…I'll eventually grow too weak to heal and…my, youth will, be no more." She looks away briefly, ashamed to be throwing out this crap of an excuse.

Then Abe is purely shocked as she turns back to him with a small gesture that takes on life of its own. Her face seems to glow as her expression takes on a sculptor's dream. She runs a hand through her silver hair and gently parts her lips.

"Tell me…how do I look?" She asks as she glows like an angel even with her red eyes boring into his mind.

"You're…my." He sputters nervously. "You're beautiful. Radiant. Lovely" He sighs smitten beyond belief.

She feels her cheeks flushing from his honest opinion..

"Yes…and aside from being ill I will begin to age. How can I keep in your favors with a face that shows my age?" She chuckles, playing with a compass on his desk.

"I don't care what you look like-" He freezes as her soft finger presses against his lips.

"This bodies well being is at stake." She whispers with a tone that does not seem to fit her right.

…_I need blood fish stick…and I'll have yours if you don't…_

Maria's eyes open wide as she trembles at the thought. Something so vile should never be executed on such a tame creature like Abraham for it would taint him like oil in water. Even if he is not what she expected, Maria still feels for Abe and realizes that caring for him in such a way may mean protecting him from herself.

"Pease Abraham…do this one thing for me. If you care for me, please." She pleads, lightly beating his chest once with a limp fist. "Please?"

Abe looks down at her large green eyes and sighs. How can he say no to a face like hers?

--

The night air is cool and braces Abraham for a chilling thought. Tonight, Maria is going to go out and taking someone's blood…and he is going to let her. A chill runs up Abe's spine as he watches her walk ahead of him, her gown like a ghost in the light night breeze. She whisks around, a sense of urgency on her face that worries Abe. He takes a few extra large steps and is at her side, his hand waving to catch her attention. How pathetic, that he has to lower himself so much because he had to fall in love with a woman. A vampire.

"Abraham…"Her voice catches him slightly off guard. "I'm sorry that our first real meeting has to be like this." Her eyes fill with sadness. "I wanted to talk to you and be with you…but I have to do this." She whispers, opening her mind up to him.

Abe sees pain in her heart as she fades into a cloud of red eyed bats. A strong fire within her is briefly shown to him that would have otherwise burned him as it grew and he realizes she does not want him to hurt. He is able to see a part of her that truly cares for his mind as he cares for hers, but with that is another thought; how would it ever work? Just having someone by the mental bond that they share is enough for Abe…at least for him it is. Why must he look like an animal, but yearn as any other man? Life is unfair.

He waits for what feels like an eternity for Maria to return. She has an aura about her that troubles Abe as he greets her. She wears a guilty expression with watery eyes and adverts her stare. In her hand is a small silver metal band that she hides away when she catches him glancing at it shine under the light of the full moon. Maria looks up at Abe and feels a misplaced sense of longing for him. Shaking the thought from her head as it would be utterly impossible to go anywhere with a…gentleman of his kind romantically. Though her outing proved to do nothing for her but cause an empty kind of release, she thinks of mixed-species mingling. The idea sounds too wrong.

"How was your outing?" Abe's voice startles her even though it is soft and choked.

"…"

"Do you need anything else?" He asks, a little persistent for them to go back into the building. "Miss Beauty?"

"Abraham." She softly goes to his side. "May I…please sleep in the library, on a couch perhaps?" Her body is withdrawn within itself, not wanting to touch him, but mentally longing for his company.

"In the library?" He asks, his voice braking.

"Just for tonight." Maria states. "If you don't mind, Abraham."

"But…t-the library, it's where my…"He trails off, covering his mouth with his trembling hand. "I sleep there, you know it's very much like a room to me-"

"I know." Her soft voice reaches his ears and he melts to pieces. "But…may I?"

Her eyes flutter as they dart from him to the ground then back up to him. Abe feels his body running slowly as his mind races at speeds he thought nonexistent. Every time she says his name he loses himself in her voice. No amount of guilt could rid him of his affection for her. So Abe nods to her question and takes the lead, not out dominance but so she is out of his sights and his mind can think straight.

Maria gently sets herself on the largest couch in the library and gingerly lays down. Her legs tuck into herself and she rests her head on her arms. Green eyes look up at Abe and he realizes that he has been watching her lay down to rest. Without a second thought Abe turns completely around and begins apologizing. Maria giggles softly and he turns his head towards her just enough so she can see that he is listening to her.

"Good night Abraham." She closes her eyes and sighs gently. "You don't know what this means to me." A gentle yawn escapes her lips. "…How do you sleep?"

"I…float." He remarks, nervously. "In there." He gestures idly to his tank.

"You're a real gentleman…I, feel safe." She whispers before her body goes limp.

Abe is startled by her seemingly genuine compliment. A piece of his heart melts into putty as he watches her slumber peacefully. He had planned to tell the others of her state…but feels a sense of obligation towards Maria to keep it a secret. After all…

He has to protect her.

--

MissKeith: "Hello, this is my very first Hellboy Fanfiction. I'm a big fan of both the comic and movie version of Hellboy. But, this fic is in the movieverse, because Abe seems to be much more of a romantic than in the comics. I hope i've captured him and everyone else well and have set a decent tone for the story. It's only three chapters, but they are going to each be as long as this first one. I feel the pacing is a little fast, but its only three chapters...so I hope it doesn't bother you guys. If this one goes well, I may write another fic, but I have a few older stories i'm still slowly finishing so yeah. And uh, if you like this first chapter please review and let me know! If no one reviews then i'll think it sucks and you guys may never get to see how it ends because i'll get discouraged and not want to write. Uh, i've praddled on enough...if you liked this story, while you wait for the next chapter you can always go my page and check out some other stories of mine. Enjoy!"

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters depicted in my story...except Maria, because she's an OC.

…_It's like wanting to sleep with your goldfish…_


	2. Eyes like Blood Brings Blood

The Blue Heart

Part Two of Three

No one questioned the two spirits who obviously had an attraction of one kind or the other for each other. At least, not out loud. Maria and Abe spend every moment together. They read, eat and go on walks along the perimeter when permitted as a pair. Such as tonight, while the midnight sun glows in the ebony sky. At this moment Abe is not walking, but idly flipping through the pages of a book under a tree. Together they also share something sacred, which are their secrets. Like now…Maria is not supposed to leave the premises.

He listens intensely to the noises of the night as he had never before done. The sound he waits for is the gentle flapping of batwings across the night sky. Of course, some nights he can smell the blood before his 'walking' partner returns from wherever she disappeared to. Some nights it can be quite a powerful smell. To think he even bothered to make her promise that they would only do this one night and one night only.

"The day we stop…is the day you are taken away." He muses to himself, stopping briefly from his book to wave his bare hand through the air.

He feels nothing…related to her anyway.

How a man fish can even fall in love is beyond Abe's genius mind. But here he is and there she is, out there…feeding. And he loves her too much to deny her food, because if she does not get it she will succumb to vampire nature. And if that happens…things become unclear. Whether his actions are selfish or not are painfully clear as Abe knows what he is doing is wrong, but losing her will result in the breaking of his fragile heart.

"A lovely color comes off of you when your skin is hit by the moon." A sultry voice, coming from above.

Abe stands fast enough to catch Maria as she falls into his frantic arms. She leans in and smells his skin…still like rain. Her lips curve into mischievous smile as she notices him shifting uncomfortably before gently putting her back on her dainty feet. Abe looks down at her with a complex stare. Maria has changed so much so fast. Hardly as shy as she was when they first met, she has developed a more taking attitude. And as for body language…her low cut black dress with the thick slit on the side surly explains that.

…_he waited all night for you…and you for him maria…_

Still…she always comes to him.

"Abraham, what are you looking at?"

Her voice boils his blood when she uses her vampiric tone.

…_he thinks you're beautiful…go on and tempt him…_

"You…You were gone quite a while." He mentions, nervously. "Was everything…okay?"

She looks at him. A black swimmer's suit covers his torso, chest and upper arms and legs and he has his breathing apparatus on. Tonight he is wearing his contacts instead of his goggles because he wants her to see his blue eyes. She loves blue.

"Everything was fine. Thanks to your aid, of course." She gives him a teasing smile. "Even without a full moon, it's beautiful out here tonight."

"Yes…you-it is, the night…" He pulls back, his hand clenching as he rests it nervously on his chest. "Tonight is…lovely. B-Beautiful." He stammers.

…_such a shy, timid creature…we will have fun breaking him of that…_

agents think Abe and Maria are good friends. Behind her back they talk about the two as being inseparable, but not for good reasons. They laugh at Abe because in their minds he is a freak that is being taken advantage of my a beautiful girl who pays him some attention. To some degree this is true in all honesty, but what makes their allegations outrageous is the fact that all Maria wants is to have Abe all to herself. No one understands how she can feel for him, even if overall it does seem that she takes advantage of his heart. Which she does from time to time.

Liz seems to be the only one Maria can talk to about such matters of the heart…

Everything in a relationship should be about giving and taking equally. Maria cannot give Abe anything he would not regret later. All she does however, is take. Conflicted, she clutches her dress and tries to think about something else as lustful images flood her mind. Every night the urges get stronger. Maria can feel and see herself changing into another person, but is helpless to stop the transformation. She looks around for something to keep her mind occupied and sees the dull sky. Only a few stars poke through the smog.

…_the flesh is stronger than the mind by far maria…remember that…_

"When I lived in the country I could stay up all night and gaze at the stars." She sighs, tilting her head up towards the sky. "But in this city, there are none. So tonight I flew pretty far, until I saw them. Beautiful."

"Sometimes we go places where we can see stars." Abe comments, half to himself. "They are wondrous." His heavy eyes fall upon Maria glowing in the moonlight.

"I thought about not coming back." She says as she begins walking towards the building. "But, then I realized how foolish the idea was."

"Why?" Abe asks in his gentle proper way that only he can.

…_nobody makes you feel this way…_

Maria stops, her high heels covered with wet grass and mud. She runs her fingers through her silver hair as she slowly turn around just enough so he can see her face and her shimmering eyes. Abe feels his heart drop. How can anyone be so beautiful?

"If I left and never came back…I'd never see you again."

"Maria…we cannot go on another walk for awhile." Abe says quickly. "The others are getting suspicious…they know you remember."

"Because you told them?" She asks, slightly suspicious.

"…Because the professor has noticed the change in your habits." He offers.

"Fine."

--

Hellboy, Liz and Abe all reside in the solitude of the library; Hellboy sits lazily on a couch munching on a Baby Ruth candy bar and Liz idly walks by the four golden music stands for the hundredth time to turn the pages for Abe, who is currently floating in his tank with a pair of underwater headphones playing classical music with titles only he can pronounce. During the day there is hardly as much to do as night, though recently things have been a little slow and honestly, tracking down the creature that nearly killed Maria and has been attacking random places since has required many man, demon and fish hours.

"Abe. How many more pages till yer done?" Hellboy grumbles. "I'm hungry! I want. To go. To lunch." He pouts like a child, earning a sarcastic look from Liz.

"Chill out red. The pages I haven't turned yet look pretty thin." She offers as Abe points to a page he has just finished. "Abe's so fussy about his pages being turned. It's the only time he's pushy."

"He's a nerd, whadya want?" Hellboy chuckles. "He lives in those books. What's he reading anyway?"

Liz walks over to a page Abe is not reading and turns the cover up. She quirks an eyebrow at the title; girls for dummies. Curious, Liz looks at the other two covers to find that they are his usual read, but the one he is on looks fishy. Not noticing Liz's curious adventure, Abe moves to another page, gently swishing his hand in the water. The page he has just finished is from the novel Dracula.

"Go figure." Liz sighs.

"I'm hungry!" Hellboy shouts.

"We get it red." Liz grumbles, but then looks back at whimsical Abe reading his how to books. "I get it. But, we are all going to eat together…and Maria has not woken up yet. Then we have to wait for Abe to dry…just go and get started if you're that hungry."

"All by myself?" Hellboy whines.

"Then you're not THAT hungry." Liz notes as she begins turning the pages for Abe again. "I'm sure whether Abe is finished with his books or not, Maria will fish him ut of the water as soon as she arrives." Liz offers attentively.

"Screw the fanged broad, I'm hungry." He grumbles.

"Red. That's just rude. Maria is our guest, and Abe's friend." She offers. "Can't you be a little nice to her?"

"No." He groans. "I can't. I dun like her, she's creepy…suck'n people's blood, or cows blood. She's even creeper now that she knows she's a vampire you know." He points with the large piece of candy in his mouth like a cigar. "She started wearing black and her eyes turn all red and crap all the time…it's freaky."

"You're one to talk." Liz taunts. "You're red all the time."

"…But…I don't drink blood. That freaks me out. Watch your neck Abe." He pretends to tip a glass to Abe, who is engulfed in a book on Werewolves. "He can't hear me, guys not even reading me…just reading his damn books."

Maria arrives a few minutes later wearing a long navy blue shirt that goes down to her knees and a pair of stretchy white peddle pushers with black slip on shoes. Her half-lit smile fades momentarily as she is hit with Hellboy's glare. Shifting her flickering red eyes away from the demon, her lips curve as she spies Liz just besides him in the same jacket she wore when the team had first found her. She walks up to Liz waving like a girlfriend.

"Morning Elizabeth." She greets, ignoring Helboy shifting away from her as she leans down to shake Liz's hand.

"You don't have to be too formal anymore. Just Liz, Maria." She chuckles.

"O-Okay…should I just call him Hell then? Or boy?" Maria coyly jests, narrowing her red eyes at Hellboy.

"I dun pick cotton and I dun go by the name of hell…very often." He grumbles, recalling the few times people have spouted the word upon seeing him. "Just call me Hellboy…ya little fanged harlo-"

His mumbling is cut off as Liz jabs him in the side with an elbow. Maria giggles softly, inwardly enjoying Hellboy's pain as her attention wanders to other parts of the ancient Library. Abe is not near the desk or bookshelf, as she summed as soon as she entered the room. He is definitely…in his tank. Her eyes blink very slowly as her green eyes meet Abe's blue ones. Instantly, he takes off his headphones and places his hand against the glass.

Abe sighs inwardly as for the first time in his life he feels like a caged animal looking out at the free world. Maria watches Abe shoot off into the water as he rushes to wherever it is he goes to surface.

"Keep your fangs in yer jaw…he'll be out in a jiffy." Hellboy grumbles as he notices Maria's unsettled stance.

"I find that comment racist." Maria states, glaring at Hellboy. "You always imply that I'm going to bite somebody."

"That's cause I see the way you look at my buddy." He growls. "It's like watchin a wolf eye her prey before she snaps its neck and devours it."

"Red." Liz scolds.

"I'm just sayn. You betta not suck his blood…Abe's ugly enough without being all dried out and fluid…less."

"Actually, I don't drink enough to drain a body that much. Common misconception, but if you recall HUMAN anatomy, I'm sure you must know some thanks to Elizabeth…the human body is made mostly of WATER." She narrows her eyes menacingly before adopting a vixen expression. " And so you know…drinking blood, or the feeding is a sensual experience for the victim. Most consider it the most intimate feeling in the world. Like a rapturous hickey." She winks her blood red eye at Hellboy, who recoils back into the sofa next to his blushing girlfriend.

Abe walks into the room to find an odd silence among his friends. Maria runs to him and grabs a hold of his gloved hand. Hugging onto the appendage, she drags him speechless out of the room. Hellboy swallows a thick knot in his throat as Liz gently pulls back her hair. She coughs lightly before standing. Hellboy sits for a minute before following Liz out of the room.

"Maria means well…she was just joking you know?" Liz offers.

"You know what I think? She's full of crap." He grumbles.

In the kitchen, Maria and Abe sit at the counter side by side. Liz and Hellboy sit across from each other…so Liz can keep and eye on him.

"Hey Abe. You better not disappear on one of those walks of yours again tonight." Helboy grumbles. "We've got to research…or some crap tonight."

"Try to identify the attackers and their main objective." Abe offers, earning a ticked off look from Hellboy.

"May I help?" Maria sighs as she looks over at Abe.

"Yes-"

"No." Hellboy bellows milliseconds after Abe and Liz answer.

"Red. Now you're just being a jerk." Liz grumbles, giving him the eye as sips a glass of orange juice.

"Brother Red…Maria is a part of our team now and-" He jumps as Hellboy slams his stone hand down on the table.

"That's it…can't take it no more." He grumbles, pointing at Maria. "This girl's got you under some kind of spell, Abe."

"I'm not an enchantress, you brute." Maria grumbles. "I've never done anything to you…please, why don't you leave me alone? What have I ever done to you or to anyone?" She pauses briefly before quietly adding. "Besides biting their necks and drinking a small bit of their blood."

"Hellboy…" Abe tries to tend to the matter, but is cut off by Hellboy to continues to fuel it.

"I don't trust anybody who for one, drinks blood, two survives a massacre they probably caused and three…this is a doozy, blue." He chuckles. "She catches her prey by seducing it. I wonder what she's trying to do to you! Let me guess? Hm?" He taps his chin a couple times before glaring over at Maria.

"I hope you got that out of your system." She sarcastically grumbles between her fangs.

Maria throws her water at Hellboy's face and runs out of the room. The double sided door swings hastily as her light footsteps fill the hall. Abe looks after the sound, then glances angrily at Hellboy. He hears her steps vanish before excusing himself and running after her. Liz rests her head in her hand, just glaring at him for a moment before slowly getting up herself and heading for the door. Hellboy stubbornly leans back and crosses his arms.

"Maria! Maria wait!" Abe calls after her in the hall.

She slows down, hardly winded herself but hearing Abe's gasping breaths. It is hard for him to run on land even with his breathing gadget so she stops for his well being. Her eyes flicker between red and green as her mind races. Abe takes a moment, with his hand flat on his chest to catch his breath. Maria watches him with wide, gleaming eyes. Inside, half of her feels like a monster and the other half feels like ripping Hellboy to pieces.

"Am I a monster Abraham? Something demons loath?" She cries as she approaches him with hand clenched at her breasts. "Why?"

He cannot answer her question, and doubts that anyone can.

"You are most certainly not a monster." He says with that soothing voice of his. "Nobody loathes you. " He assures her as she steps closer to him. "Y-You're…beautiful. Inside and out." His voice, like a steady ocean current soothes and pulls her in to him as she gently wraps her arms around his thin swimmers waist.

…_Can I tell you something, Abraham?… _She whispers in her mind, a rare occasion where she lets him in.

He looks at her curiously, shaken by the closeness they now share. Her skin is so soft. Maria looks up as Abe leans down to hear her words. None are spoken as Maria seems to float off of the ground. Startled, Abe pulls shoulders first into a backwards stumble. Eyes wide, he touches his lips, where hers just were a moment ago.

…_He tastes like rain…_

"I…I don't believe, that you need to say a word, Maria…" Abe breaths as his heart races.

…_oh yes…but, just one…you say it or I will…_

"Stay." She whispers as Abe being the timid creature he is, is hesitant for contact.

Liz cannot help but walk heavy as she searches for Maria and Abe. A small inaudible sound catches her attention and without thinking Liz jogs to the end of the hall. She rounds the corner and gasps. Maria and Abe are kissing…weird, she thinks to herself as she ducks around the corner. Peeking, Liz curiously watches Maria and Abe exchange modest saliva. Still, seeing someone kiss Abe is the strangest thing Liz has EVER seen in her life. Which says a lot.

Feeling guilty for spying, Liz steps back to leave, but something catches her eye. Maria's eyes are red. Liz watches her remove Abe's breather clumsily and despite his verbal protest.

"Maria" He harshly whispers as her action catches him off guard. "W-What are you doing?"

"Shh." She coos softly. "It's okay…I'll be gentle."

She begins kissing Abe's neck and Liz struggles to keep her eyes locked on the two during what Maria describes to be an intimate moment. Deep down, she feels something is wrong. Abe places his hands on Maria's arms as she continues to kiss his neck. Liz notices Abe's wiggling movement and catches a light push by Maria. She steps out into the hall.

Maria gently nibbles at Abe's neck, though she knows he wants her to stop. Too many emotions are running through her to cause a pause as she fights his gentle nudge with his hands on her upper arms. He can feel her fangs gently scrape the tender flesh of his lean shoulders and it stirs a kind of primal fear. A sense of survival. She leans back as he begins to make a light gurgling noise and stares with her red eyes.

"Are you afraid?" She whispers as she looks into his eyes. "Am I…scaring you?" Her eyes change to a dull green.

…_stop catering to his docile ways…I won't have you ruin this opportunity…_

"I…would do anything for you…Maria. Whatever makes you happy. I have no fear." He whispers.

…_see…he's with the program…_

"No fear…" She repeats.

"Maria…are you okay?" His gently voice brings her back to reality.

Maria blinks and her eyes turn to a soft green.

"Abraham." Her voice is weak.

"What's…" His voice trails off as he reaches out for her. "Maria…" His lips hang parted as she steps away from him, frightened by some unseen force.

Little does Abe know it is herself she is afraid of.

"Abe." Liz sternly shouts, startling the two. "Maria."

"Elizabeth…" Maria looks over at Liz with tired eyes as she feels her body growing weak. "Abraham, I am sorry…I didn't mean…the voice got to me." The last part is hardly audible to his ears.

"Step away from him." Liz cautions as she reaches for her gun.

"I will not harm him." Maria softly assures. "I'm just, tired…it's very hard to keep control." Her eyes fade as she sways from side to side.

Liz's eyes soften slightly. She walks over and wraps her arm around Maria's waist to support her faltering form. The young girl definitely feels off, almost like dead weight. Maria looks away from Abe, ashamed.

"Oh, Abraham…I'm sorry I cannot-maybe you should-"

She freezes in place as Abe takes a long step forwards and briefly presses his lips against hers. He pulls back like a wave from the shore and both of them are blushing. His heart races as he trembles at his own bravery. Abe reaches for his breather as he feels the fatigue settling in on his own body. Placing it over his neck, Abe stands up straight and pulls back his shoulders. He looks so proper as his hand reaches out for Maria's. She gently takes his hand, after a gently nod from Liz and leans against him.

"We have a little time before we need to start researching…you can rest in your room until then." Abe says.

"And you'll get me when you guys start?" She asks weakly.

…_you pathetic girl…what makes his neck any different…_

"Yes." He smiles. "Promise."

…_are you honestly in love with this creature…_

"Wait." Liz says as she holds her hand out. "Forgive me, but Maria you appear to be having more and more of these episodes. Is there a point when you don't come back? You could have bit Abe." She looks away as points out Maria's obvious interest in Abe's slender neck. "forgive me for not being entirely comfortable with you two being alone."

"I know. And I'm so sorry…but I promise I won't let myself get carried away like that again." Maria swears. "I know now that I-have to be…cautious. I promise."

"Okay, but I'll see that you keep that promise." Liz turns and begins to walk back to the kitchen. "I have my eyes on you."

--

Liz watches Maria purposefully graze her body against Abe's in the library. First her hand gently brushes against his thigh and then she accidentally bumps into him as she reaches over to place a book on his desk. Liz rolls her eyes at how Maria fights o keep Abe's attention more and more in the past couple of days. It is almost like she is trying to seduce him, but Abe could never get that. If Maria was indeed trying to seduce him which Liz doubts.

Whispering something in his ear, Maria gently touches his shoulder as she talks to him. Sighing, Abe seems completely smitten with everything Maria does from batting her large luscious eyelashes, to whatever comes out of her petite mouth. Even the slightest touch renders him helpless as noted by his departure to fetch her an iced tea. Liz notes how odd it is that she would send him away after accidentally bumping into him all morning. Hellboy walks into the room to catch Abe rushing out into the hall. He raises his hand to greet a blur as it passes him dismissively.

"Nice to see you to buddy." Hellboy raises an eyebrow as Maria turns her head and smiles somewhat wickedly. "Good Evening Fangs…what's goin on Sparky?" He places his attention on Liz as she idly stacks books on Abe's desk.

"I've been pulling books off of these shelves for hours." She notes, pointing to the large pile on the desk.

"And I take it she's been putt'n em back?" Hellboy nods towards Maria, who turns towards him sharply with an accused look.

Maria softly walks over, supposedly to put a book away. Her actions are timid as Abe rushes back into the room with a smitten smile plastered on his face. He strides to her effortlessly with an impression that he is walking on air to gently hand her, her requested beverage in a glass cup with a blue paper umbrella in it, but no ice. Maria softly takes the glass, sips her drink and smiles. The water in Abe's breathing apparatus bubbles as a sort of natural compromise to not being able to blush. Hellboy narrows his eyes as Abe stands at Maria's side, oblivious to the world.

"Blue…hey Blue." He grunts annoyed as he is ignored. "Abe!"

"-Wha…" Abe jumps as if he hadn't realized others were even in the room at all. "R-Red?"

Hellboy watches Abe turn his head to one side in obvious confusion. Lately, spacey has been the word to describe his aquatic friend. That and twitterpated…it is completely obvious to everyone that all Abe can think about is Maria. To Hellboy's dislike, Maria knows Abe's weakness all too well and over a course of a few weeks has grown very accustom to be waited on hand and foot. Liz sits on a sofa, realizing that no work is going to be done in the near future. Hellboy walks over to Abe and places his normal hand on his shoulder to guide him to his desk. Abe walks with his eyes somewhat blank as he stares off into space.

"Start researching those books of yers Blue." Hellboy grunts. "We gotta figure out exactly who was behind that slaughter."

"And the others." Liz notes, flipping through their assignment packet. "Several attacks have been executed since that night…oddly all in very rich areas."

"Any thoughts on that Blue?" Red asks as he slaps his friend in the back.

"I…" Abe begins as he gathers his thoughts. "They are definitely looking for something in particular. Perhaps, an artifact?" He muses, opening a small aged book. "What we need to search for is what the wolves would gain from these attacks."

"An even betta question." Hellboy muses as he looks over at Maria, who continues to distance herself. "Why out of all of these attacks…she is the only one to survive."

"That is, an excellent question Red." Abe turns around and with a wave of his hand gestures for Maria to come to him. "Maria, much of your memory had returned to you since that day. Can you think of any reason those wolves would attack you for?"

Maria walks behind Abe, gently tracing the back of his chair with her fingertips. She sits down next to him in a slightly smaller chair with a coy smile. Hellboy feels a shiver run up his back as a strange sensation comes over him. This beautiful woman appears to be glowing as her spring green eyes are gently covered and uncovered by thick feathered lashes. A small bump from Liz and Hellboy shakes his head to remove the dazed feeling. Liz watches Hellboy rub his face groggily, as he mumbles some inaudible words under his breath.

Hellboy looks over at Abe and sees his friends posture change from his usual straight back and raised level head, to a relaxed kind of hunch. Suddenly realizing what just happened, Hellboy looks down at Liz annoyed before walking over to Maria and Abe. Liz holds up her hand as if to stop him, but looks over at Abe and stays quiet. Abe stares at Maria as she talks in a soft, almost sensual tone. The sound is like a silver bell that just relaxes the muscles and sooths the mind. Something similar to Abe's voice, only it actually seems to alter your emotions.

"You see this war between vampires and werewolves is very old…" She goes to continue her seemingly practiced speech, but is cut off by Hellboy.

"Enough of that old as time crap." He grunts. "Now cut it with the vampire mind powers and come clean. If you're too scared to tell us what happened, we can't help you." Hellboy looks down at Abe and grabs his chair, pulling it back till it falls over and Abe tumbles backwards onto the floor. "Stop being such a rock, will ya Blue?" He sighs.

"There isn't any particular reason they would want me. They must be after something else." She whispers, intimidated by Hellboy's stare. "I'm nobody special."

"Well, I have a file here that claims you to be a very wealthy woman who loves all of these particular places that your little wolf friends have been visiting." He hands her a piece of paper with her information on it. "Are you in on it? Do you know where they are? Who exactly are you?"

…_tell them what they want to hear Maria…_

"I…I told you, Hellboy." Her voice begins to quiver. "…I'm nobody."

Maria looks up at Hellboy and then down at Abe as he is slowly getting to his feet. Inside of her is a tired force waiting to be tinkered with and it terrifies her. She looks from him to Hellboy and then back before running into Abe's arms sobbing. Abe looks down at her and scowls. Gently assuring her of peace, Abe walks her to a sofa and sits her down. He turns around and glares at Hellboy.

"Red, that is no way to speak to a lady." He scolds.

…_go on and shed a few tears dear, let him get you out of this mess…_

"Abraham…" She sobs. "P-Please can I go to my room? I'm very tired." She grabs a hold of his hand and he melts in place.

Without even a word Abe helps her to her feet and walks her out of the room. Hellboy and Liz watch them leave without a word. Alone, the two look at each other in disbelief, but with a mutual knowledge that Maria definitely knows something. In the hallway Maria clings to Abe's arm as they walk. They reach her room. She opens her door and pulls Abe inside.

"Thank you." She breathes. "He was being so…nosey I don't like fingers being pointed at me!"

"Mmm?" Abe asks as he gazes upon her beauty.

"Abraham?" She questions. "Please, wake up will you? I can't talk to you when you're like this!"

…_you act like you don't enjoy manipulating him to your every will…well, not every yet…_

"Ugh! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" She grumbles frustrated.

Maria throws herself on the bed to drown out the voice with a pillow. Abe looks over at her, quietly wishing he could lay next to her….touch her. Shaking the thoughts from his head Abe watches Maria return to a sitting position on her bed. Her eyes convey a feeling of guilt as she darts them about the room. Something about her seems different and awfully enchanting.

"I'm not an angel…but I'm no killer." She idly comments. "Lover…not a fighter." Maria giggles.

She rolls over on her bed, the long fine strands of silver hair flowing around her. Maria beckons him to sit on the bed by giving a spot besides where she lays a gentle pat. Abe obeys and is at her side in a second. Gently, she reaches out her hand and brushes the smooth flesh of his thigh. Shivers run up Abe's spine at her sensual touch. After a moments pause she sets her entire hand on the side of Abe's thigh and gently rubs the area briefly.

…_Look at his blue skin…lovely isn't it?…_

"You're skin…it's so smooth." She whispers.

"T-Thank you, Maria." He stutters. "Much like average fish my skin excretes an oil that allows me to glide through water easier-" He freezes as her attention falters.

"Oh, Abraham I'm sorry." Maria apologizes for her rudeness. "My mind is somewhere else."

…_somewhere blue and smooth… _

"Maria?" Abe asks as he notices that lost look on her face that sometimes leads to red eyes.

"Excuse me? Did I drift off?" She asks, looking up at him. " I'm sorry…what you were saying was interesting, but I just don't think of you as a fish?"

"You…don't?" He asks surprised.

"Neither of us are animals…though I'm sure under the right circumstances we could act like them." She smiles, letting him know for once that she is thinking dirty. "You have a lot to let loose and I just hope I can be on the receiving end one day."

"I…" Abe is at a complete loss for words, this kind of talk not being his forte. "Uh…"

"Abraham…are you blushing?" She coyly jests. "I hope I'm not out of line, I know how proper you are. I'm not as proper as I act most of the time. But, you know that." She smiles. "Sometimes I hate being so polite, but it is in my nature to act a certain way though I despise it. You know, I don't enjoy lying to people, you and Liz especially." She stops, gently focusing her eyes on nothing as her mind begins to wander. "Abraham…do you hate me sometimes?" Her voice goes soft as she is unsure about herself.

"Why would I?" He asks, answering quickly.

"Because I…when I feed, you have to lie." She briefly looks him in the eye. "And lately I cannot help myself. My vampiric abilities just come and go as they please it seems." She gently sits up and scoots next to him on the edge of the bed.

"I am sure you will get better at controlling yourself." Abe offers, as he realizes her hand is still resting on his thigh. "Mind over body…"

Is he saying that for her or himself, he is not quite sure. What Abe does know is that the room is getting smaller and smaller. Everything seems to be closing in on him and Maria as the two are pushed closer and closer together.

"No." Her voice is like a ghost. "Body over mind…"

Her voice disappears into Abe's mouth as she engulfs his plump lips with hers. The softness of her palm on his face sends an extra thrill running through Abe as his body suddenly wants more; he is almost overwhelmed by the sudden emotion running rampant through his body. Abe feels everything she is doing, almost before she acts at times and revels in the anticipation. Maria wraps her hand around his arm gently as she works his mouth. But, Abe's body begins to tremble as he feels a spark of something he has never before known. Primal lust.

Making a gasping sound of shock and irritation as Abe jerks away from her, she looks up at him with wide eyes. He looks at the wall, terrified and pumped with adrenaline. Inside of him he is more alive than he ever has been and it has delivered a striking shock to his usually mellow system. Maria watches him for a moment before leaning against him again impatiently. Her arms snake around his slim waist as she gently kisses a fin protruding from his elegant spine. Abe's body stiffens as images flood his mind.

"I've been fooling myself…" Her soft voice echoes.

…_It's never going to stop…unless you make it… _

Abe sees lots of red as it pools down walls and stains sidewalks, drenches car seats and soaks bedspreads. So many paralyzed faces form before his eyes, and his mouth hangs open in horror.

…_you may ask why so much blood when all I want is yours… _

Silhouetted, Maria walks up to a mirror in a room he has never seen, but when she steps into the moonlight her figure vanishes as if it were never there. In the mirror he can see a hansom man with shoulder length blonde hair, his large blue eyes open wide and shaking with pure terror. There is so much pain in his eyes as his head hangs limply over the edge of a bed.

…_and the answer is…because I cannot have yours…_

For an instant, that man becomes Abe. He suddenly sees himself for an instant lying there with Maria on top of him, smiling with her pearly white fangs shinning in the red moonlight. She leans down with her eyes locked forwards on him observing the horrifying scene. There is so much blood as she sinks her teeth into his virgin flesh. All the blood turns blue.

…_accept our fate Abraham and let me drink…let me rest for once in peace…_

"M-Maria…" He gasps, stumbling off the bed and trying to make the horrible visions fade from his mind. "You…is that what you've been…?" He gasps as he talks, unable to understand how this sweet girl could do such ferocious deeds. "I feel, sick."

…_maria…make him understand…_

"Oh, Abraham. Please don't be angry." She smiles. "I'd do it all again to be with you." Her voice is haunting and sends a chill through the air. "Believe me, I tried to be gentle with them…but they would fight. Sure some didn't, but some did." She gently rises from the bed and walks after his scrambling body. "I've tried to satisfy my hunger by any means necessary, to keep the voice happy." She tilts her head to one side as she kneels down in front of him.

"Maria…" His voice is so low, she pays it no mind.

"But nothing works anymore. I ask you to get me things, fetch drinks and read to me because I'm trying to compensate for what attention I cannot get from you."

…_suddenly so thirsty…_

Abe sits with his back against the wall like a deer caught in bright blinding headlights. His breathing is slightly shallow as he tries to remain calm, but all those horrible images filled with so much blood haunt him. Especially because it is all his fault. But still, those spring green eyes are so full of something that lives within Maria. It grows and thrives for him. He looks her in her eyes to see them red.

…_can't fight anymore Maria…_

"The other night I realized something Abraham." She whispers as she gently touches his bare stomach with her fingertips. "I care for you more than anyone realizes." Her lips gently press against his chest as her palm goes flat on his cool stomach and his entire body shivers. "I want…"

Abe feels her hands slide down his stomach steadily and slowly. He completely loses his breath as he feels her fingertips gently nudging at the hem of his shorts. Without much thought Abe attempts leaping to his feet, using the wall for support. Maria nearly falls back, but grips his wrist with surprising force and yanks him and her together. The two fall onto the floor in a heap. His deep breaths echo through the quiet room as Maria wraps her arms around him possessively to prevent him from escaping.

"I don't…understand…" He yelps as he is turned over onto his bare back.

A tight hold on his shoulders, Maria pins poor confused Abe down. He doesn't struggle very much at first, but as he is unable to persuade her to let go manages to conjure up a light case of hysteria. Once settled, he looks up at Maria. She smiles coyly as one of her hands gently leave his shoulder and slides across his chest and up to his hidden neck. The apparatus is big and in the way. Very slowly, she removes the apparatus to reveal his slender neck and gills. Her red eyes gaze upon it as a whole hungrily. Smiling to herself, her hand gently rubs the side of his blue-green neck and her fingers gently stroke his gills; for the first time she wonders what they feel like. Abe's entire body flinches as his mouth simultaneously falls open without warning. A small gasp escapes his plush lips.

…_see…you're not the only one losing control maria…_

They must be sensitive appendages.

…_look at that blue skin…untouched and beautiful…_

"Oh, Abraham." She breaths, obviously aroused. "I want to bite you."

Her voice is dark and laced with a kind of lust so foreign to Abe he cannot help but be unable to fully understand. Something he can hardly explain is happening to his body as Maria gently kisses his neck. Her hands rub his broad shoulders as she coaxes him into remaining calm. Abe looks into Maria's red eyes and sees something he has never noticed before. A primitive yearning she can hardly control. An inner working that compels her to do what she does. For once, Abe feels like he understands why she does what she does. Like him being drawn to water, she is must follow her instincts as well.

"There's nothing I could enjoy more." She breaths as she lathers a controlled amount of saliva on his skin to numb the flesh.

As Abe blinks back to reality, one thing is for certain; Maria's licking her red lips and gazing down at his blue neck as if he is the first scrap of food she has seen in months. A new instinct overwhelms his body. Fear.

"Wait." His voice softly whispers, but she does not hear him.

"Maria!" He shouts as he tries to push her back. "I…please stop." His voice quivers as she reaches out and presses her lips over his. "Maria!" Abe pushes her as she tries to force him onto his back. "No!"

Afraid and certain this is not going where he wants to go Abe struggles to get a very persistent Maria off of him. She grunts as he fights her and grits her teeth as he turns his face away from her lips. Hurt and angry, Maria takes a moment to pull her hand back and swings it full force. Abe is so shocked by the strike, he does not move his completely turned head. After a pause, he gently raises a hand to touch the bruising flesh. His wide eyes look into Maria's red glare as she forces him to face her. Inside of her large eyes, there is no woman…only a hungry carnivorous beast.

"Nobody tells me no." Her voice is low and venomous. "Lay your blue ass back down."

"What…are you going to do…I must decline, this situation is growing dark." He says as calmly as he can. "You are not well at the moment."

"Abraham. Abraham. Abraham." She sighs, trying to contain her impatience. "You just do not understand. You've read thousands of books, but you don't understand real life!" Her fangs curl into a snarl as she gently shakes him. "Right now I need something from you. Something very important, but you…you just don't get it. So now I have to take it." Grabbing his shoulders and lifting him up, Maria looks deeply into his wide eyes. "You might as well get with the program fish stick." She snarls.

…_stop…_

Abe freezes, listening for the gentle voice.

…_not like this…_

He closes his eyes as he expects something terrible to happen. Blood. Death.

…_not like this…_

Frightened, Abe remains still. Her hand twitches and pulls back again as a threat to strike. Abe turns away as her other hand grabs his shoulder to keep him still and squeezes it hard. He shuts his eyes to block out the pain as her hand starts to fly down. But…nothing happens. For a moment there is only silence and then Maria is lifted off of Abe. He opens his eyes to see Hellboy pressing Maria's face against the wall with her hands behind her back. Her eyes are like fire as she struggles for release. Woozy, Abe falls onto his back and takes in shallow breaths.

"If I were you I'd be quiet." Hellboy grumbles. "I'm not scared to hit girls…especially if they hit my best friend." He grits his pearly white teeth as Maria's struggling begins to falter.

…_What's going on?…_

"Let me go you brute!" She screams. "Abraham! Help me!" Her voice is filled with fear as she calls out to Abe.

"Maria." Recent events seem to fly out of his head as he hears her plight. "M-Mar…" Abe freezes as he sees Hellboy pinning Maria against the wall; his eyes narrow with anger.

Liz enters the room to see Abe grabbing a pair of scissors off of Maria's vanity with dark circles under his eyes. One look at Hellboy restraining Maria and Liz runs between the two friends with her hands blazing. Abe looks through her.

"Blue, what are you doing?" Liz asks, holding up her hand to stop him. "What happened to your face?" She gasps as she notices the darkened flesh.

"My…M-face?" Abe mumbles as he gently touches the bruise.

Wincing from the pain he drops the scissors and stares down at the floor hard, trying to remember how this thing got on his face. After a thought or two he recalls struggling with Maria as she advanced and how she had brought her hand back with such anger in her eyes when he told her no. Liz watches Abe's tortured face contort into different levels of hurt, embarrassment and pain.

"Abe. What happened?" Liz asks again, with a softer voice as she gently places her hand on Abe's shoulder.

"Maria…she struck me." Abe says it as if he is still contemplating whether she did it or not. "We were talking…she…" He recalls her kissing him. "…and then I…and Maria…" He looks over at her as angry tears stream down her face.

She screams and struggles as if Hellboy were killing her. From the looks of it, keeping her subdued is no easy task. Hellboy's eyes are narrowed as he looks down at her and inwardly sees how easy it would be for someone with her strength to subdue someone as light as Abe. A growl forms in Hellboy's throat as she cries for Abe to help her. Liz has to grab the amphibian's arm to keep him from going to Maria.

"Maria…why did you…" Abe's weak voice asks.

"What did she do?" Liz asks forcefully towards Hellboy.

"Little fangs here was aiming for a afternoon snack with blue. That and…" A dark shadow befalls his red face as he looks at Liz. "When I came in…she was, I dunno exactly…she was on top of him."

"Abe?" Liz looks at him with complete disbelief. "What exactly was Maria trying to do to you?"

"She…said she wanted to bite me." He says, though in his mind he wonders if Hellboy had not come in…whether biting his neck would have been all she would have done.

"Abraham! He's hurting me! ABRAHAM!" She screams as she reaches out to him. "Abraham!" His expression is lost as a shadow crosses his features and Maria briefly freezes to gather herself. "Abraham…what's wrong-what's going on. God, what did I do?" She cries as he wraps his arms around himself. "A-ABRAHAM! I'm sorry! I'm so-"

Abe has to look away as her eyes ignite to a glowing green that reminds him of spring. The dark circles start to reappear beneath his eyes and he covers his ears, flinching as Liz tries place her hand on his shoulder. He loves her so much…he imagines picking up the scissors and stabbing Hellboy to rescue her, but forces the idea out of his crumbling mind. These are his friends, and this woman is doing something to him.

Something that is both horrifying and wonderful.

"Stop it with those crocodile tears." Hellboy growls as he forces Maria out of the door. "You're on lockdown. And you are never going near my friend again…" Hellboy pauses as they are half way down the hall. "Cause if you do, or heaven forbid you sink your freaky little bloodsucking teeth in Abe I will personally kick your ass. Understood." He shakes her to encourage an answer.

"What…if Abe wants me to." She smiles like a madwoman as her reddening eyes narrow. "He's crazy about me you know red." She chuckles as Hellboy shoves her down the hall.

"I think you're the one who's crazy." He grumbles.

Maria stops walking and completely stops moving or a moment. Hellboy tugs at her arm a few times to try and get her to move, but she doesn't budge. He looks down at her and her tear stained cheeks. Maria gently puffs out her lower lip as she looks up at Hellboy with her large spring green eyes. She gasps as she tries to contain her sobs.

"I think you're right, Hellboy…" She gently smiles in defeat. "I'm crazy…in love and insane. I could control it before I developed feelings for Abe." She sighs.

"It?" He questions. "What do you mean IT?" He shakes her, but her tip-toes being the only thing touching the floor does not phase her for an instant.

"This voice isn't going away. It wants Abraham too…all to itself." Her voice is barely a whisper.

"Yer creepn me out, fangs." Hellboy warns as he gets her to start walking again.

"It needs him." She smiles softly. "And he needs me. That's why he'll rescue me, even if he's upset. Abraham loves me. He loves me…too much."

--

"How long!" Broom shouts as Abe sits with his head bowed on a sofa in the library. "You must have known…I was suspicious about those walks but now I cannot believe you Abe." He shakes his head as he sits down in front of his other adopted child. "You have no idea what kind of force you have played with Abraham."

"Professor…Maria's not a bad vampire." Abe tries to reason.

"No. Of course not, she just tried to force you on your back in her room while you shouted for her to stop." He muses. "Tell me Abe, does Maria ever ask you to do things you don't want to do?"

"Maria…" Abe says her name slowly, trying with all his might to keep the picture of her he has in his mind a pure one. "Maria's requests have never been anything I wouldn't do for her." He honestly replies after a pause.

"Yet this one time you told her no she attempted to force you into fulfilling her request…if you should call it that." He shakes his head, inwardly terrified at the thought of anything happening to Abraham. "She is beautiful and can act like an angel…but Maria is not an angel, she is in fact a demon."

"Demon?" Abe asks. "I don't…understand professor."

"Inside of her is an entity. Very ancient evil entity that chose Maria as a vessel because of her beauty and immortality." He begins. "Previously, Maria was kept at another B.P.R.D. Headquarters location in a sleep chamber." Broom looks at Abe with sadness in his eyes. "Maria Beauty was a very wealthy woman in her time, some hundred years ago when she was bitten by a vampire. It was however, thirty years ago when she was captured by a wolf clan worshiping a moon goddess. They kidnapped Maria and performed a ceremony which placed the moon goddess within her…"

"How can we separate this entity from her?" Abe asks, pleading. "Maria is trying to control herself…whatever is inside her, is too strong.

"The goddess will only leave Maria when a body is created for her." Broom lowers his gaze to the floor.

"By what means?" Abe asks, confused by this concept.

"Abraham…" Broom's voice drops. "Maria's motivation was not to bite you…she wanted to do something else to you." He whispers.

"What? Professor?" Abe's voice becomes lost as he remembers his vision. "She was…going to force me?" He asks with large eyes and a suddenly dry throat.

The professor stands with his shoulders straight.

"Now that she wants you, she won't change her mind especially after you rejected her. The goddess is very vain." He grumbles. "You are not allowed to go anywhere near Maria. That is final. I had hoped she would be able to live a normal life if she lost all memory of the goddess. Sometimes, when you stop believing in things they go away like the boogeyman in your closet." Broom comments as he thinks of Hellboy as a child.

"But…" Abe pleads. "Maria needs my help."

"This is a different matter all together I suppose." He sighs. "Maria will have to be sent back to her sleeping chamber until we can extract the demon from her without killing her or releasing it." He tenderly approaches Abe and tries to put his hand on the amphibian's shoulder to comfort him; when Abe jerks his shoulder away Broom appears hurt, but remains stern. "Maria is dangerous. Hellboy had a hard time holding her, if she got her hands on you again…"

"Fath-Profess-Sir…I-I love her." He admits out loud for the first time. "You-You're being…unfair!"

Though he shouts, Abraham's supposed verbal assault is still lacking assault. Professor Broom raises an eyebrow at Abe's tame outrage.

"I know, my son. And I'm sorry." He whispers, not noticing as Abe angrily runs to the door that leads to his tank.

"Abraham?"

--

(Chapter Talk): Okay, second chapter up. And shame shame on all you people who read and didn't review. Be thankful to Belka for giving me such a wonderful review that I decided to finish the story. Thank you very much for the inspiration. I hope this chapter surpasses the first Though it focuses on Abe and Maria's relationship obsessivly, everything will fall into place during the next chapter. Enjoy and review!


	3. Eyes Of The One He Loves

The Blue Heart

Part Three of Three

Her face. That beautiful pale face, enhanced by those large green eyes and rosy lips...that is his everything. She is everything. But, right now his everything is sitting in a dim room on a chair with her head down. All that beautiful hair spilt about her like the foam on the sea, wasting the angel's image. A maiden as lovely as the sea. Yes, the beautiful sea. Abe removes his hand from the wall, as her face causes him pain. No longer can he bear to be away from her.

"Maria." His voice is slightly hoarse as he closes his large eyes. "How do I get to you? How…"

…open the door…

"Oh, yes…I haven't thought of tha-" He pauses as he looks about the empty room. "P-Professor? Is there a…speaker?" He asks, waving his hand about him to find the device.

There is nothing, but a woman's voice. She begins humming a soft, gentle but ominous tune. Sultry and alluring the sound causes Abe to walk after it in a trance. Webbed toes tread lightly on the plush library carpet as his hand reaches out, searching…searching for the source of the melodious sound. He stops in front of the book case as the humming disappears. Abe's webbed hand pulls back in slow motion as his fingers hopelessly curl into a loose fist. Darting his eyes back and forth Abe feels his mind moving away from him, so he comes to a conclusion.

"Someone is here." He decides for himself. "Hello?" He gently calls, an instinct within him causing his gills to flex and blood to rush through his veins with slight panic. "Who is it? Professor?"

…your guardian angel abraham…I only want to make you happy…

That voice. Abe shivers as a chill overcomes him. Despite his uncertainty he proceeds to prolong the conversation as to gather information. In the voices absence there is a cold sensation to the library as well as a feeling of helplessness.

"Make me…happy?" He questions suspiciously, tilting his head to the side. "How do you intend to do that?"

…you love maria…you want her…need her…

Abe stops moving, rolling his shoulders back and shifts his eyes from side to side in search of the source. This has to be some kind of trick…a ruse to get him to talk. But, that voice sounds so unreal. No woman could sound this beautiful except Maria. He touches the wall and sees Maria in her cell with her head lowered. Slung over her knees are her wrists bound in chains.

…_I'm the one who will let you have her…_

Abe pulls away from the wall with his chest heaving, eyes as wide as he can open them He looks around the room, trying to get Maria's image out of his head in panic. The Professor told him not to leave the library. Everyone said over and over again how she attacked him and how under a spell of some kind he almost attacked Hellboy. Abe knows something dark is happening around and within him. Still he gently brushes his palm against the bookshelf to peer across headquarters and see her. What a cost, love has. She calls out his name with dark intentions and Abe pulls his hand back, forcefully trying to rid his thoughts of her. He covers his head with his hands as Maria mouths this creature's words. No longer can he remove her image by balling up his fists. She is calling out to him; this creature wants him to see Maria.

…_how much do you love this creature called maria…abraham…_

"Stop." He begs, covering his ears. "Stop! Please, stop talking to me." The voice begins laughing, softly at first but quickly escalates to a villainous roar.

…don't want to talk…why is that…

"You're the one." Abe growls as he cannot get Maria's puppet-like face out of his mind. "You've changed her!" He roars as he slams his fist against the bookshelf.

The laughter starts up again, darker and thicker than before. Abraham finds that he cannot stand the sound of her voice laughing. Listening to this creature laugh is like having someone stab your heart with a needle over and over and over and over again. No pain is like it, especially when the laughter comes from this terrible thing. This is something Abe can never stop…something he is now intertwined in. The laughing nearly drives him mad.

"Stop laughing you wretched thing." He screams as Maria's face continues to laugh within his mind. "Get out of my head!" Angry he slams his fist against the bookshelf, but stumbles back as images flood his thoughts. "Ahh!"

…she didn't want to choose you…but the longer she denied it the more it came true abraham…

"What?" He asks with one eye shut tight as he spins around. "What came true?" He tries to remain calm, but there is a flame growing inside him. "WHAT!" He screams at the top of his lungs before falling to his knees in silence, his arms dead at his side and his eyes looking up towards the ceiling in sorrow. "What?" He finally whispers.

There is a long silence, like the calm before a storm.

…love…she fell in love with you…

"Maria…loves me?" He breaths.

…she wants you…the only person she wants is you…the only person who can help me is you…

"Help you?" He asks through a gritted row of sharp teeth. "You're hurting her!"

…abraham…

"You're manipulating her!" He screams. "You killed those people! You're the one who's been killing people." He gathers a chill from the image he had seen in Maria's mind of him lying drained of his blood on a bed. "You plan on doing something…"

…I am maria…part of her and attached to her soul…we are one…

Abraham feels his heart stop. He taps his chest to get it beating again. How could this situation get any worse? To what lengths does one merman have to go through to have the heart…and body of the woman he loves? Should he even trust this random voice? Abe runs his hand over his smooth head as he falls limp into a sofa. One arm hangs loose over the edge of the couch and swings slightly.

A feeling of hatred fills Abe's usually kind heart. He feels it harden with his balled fist. Hand him a knife and he will stab this spiteful creature long after she is dead…

"What…am I thinking?" He gasps as he opens his eyes. "Such horrible, vile thoughts." He whispers as he clutches his thin throat, hoping the voice will not hear him.

…having temper problems abe dear…that is to be expected…

"What do you want?" He asks angrily. "What do I have to do to get you out of my life so I can be with Maria?"

…simple…shut down the security system so my friends can come get me…

"If you leave and you really are a part of Maria she will go with you." Abe snaps.

…of course dear…that is why you have to come with us…

"Go with you?" He asks. "But I'm…grounded." He spits out the word as he knows fully well how ridiculous that he should be grounded by a man that is fairly a few decades younger than him.

…if you don't come and do what I say…maria will be stuck with me forever…

"I hate you." Abe growls, his eyes narrowing.

…and you love maria…which is why you are going to do everything I say…

Abe lowers his gaze as he slowly leans forwards, folding his hands and resting them on his knees. His countenance is shaded with his dower disposition.

"Because I love Maria…" His voice is quiet and hoarse with his own remorse. "…because…and only because I love her." His voice is dark and threatening. "This is in no way for you. Or for me…just her."

--

"Red!"

First he feels rumbling, but insists that it is only his stomach. Licking his lips, the red demon pulls a towel over his face. Her voice calls out to him from the hallway muffled by the rattling bureau. She stumbles forwards and her hand slaps his stomach forcing him to spring into action.

"Jeez, Liz!" Hellboy grumbles as he clutches at his stomach with his fleshy hand. "You call that a love tap?" He points at her with his stone hand.

"Red." She states urgently as she climbs to her feet. "Infiltration…the bureau's been broke-broken into by monsters." She begins to feel a little feint, but is scooped up into red's arms before she falls again.

"You do not look so good." He mumbles, lying her down on the bed as a thin line of red trickles down the side of her face. "Stay here. I'm going to take care of this."

"Wait. Abe." Liz coughs as she reaches out to him.

Hellboy pauses. He turns around and stares fixated on Liz at the mention of his friend, currently labeled as ill. Rolling his shoulders back he prepares to hear that Abe is trying to rescue Maria or tried to rescue Maria. Whatever that lovesick fish stick is doing…Hellboy only hopes that he is alive.

"What about Blue?"

"Red." Her eyes widen. "He's with them. Leaving-Abe's leaving with them. Stop him, please." She begs.

"You don't have to ask twice." Hellboy pulls out his gun and heads for the door to his room. "Stay awake and get some bandages." Is all Hellboy says as he disappears into the hallway.

Liz listens to his heavy steps sprint down the hall and then hears his deep voice booming 'dammit' as he comes back towards their room. Leaping inside he forces the large vault door shut as a creature tries to make its way in. Liz had not gotten a good look at what had injured her, but she was certain it was a dog of some kind. Still, she never would have thought…of this kind. The wolf-looking creature has a few feet on Hellboy and fur dark as night. He or she chomps their teeth hungrily and wines as the slammed door catches a few of its whiskers. Hellboy presses his back against the door, eyes open wide.

"Red…" Liz groans as her eyes roll back in her head. "…Re…"

"Liz!"

--

The sounds of cars passing by and café music are replaced with a less serine noise. People scatter into their apartments and cars screaming as the shadowy figures walk in packs across the city. Trailing their large paws and wrapping around their massive bodies is a smokey fog. Snarling and glaring their red eyes back and forth at every delicate morsel cowering within reach, only one upright figure keeps the city from being painted red. She narrows her eyes at the wolves, keeping them in line as she pulls Abe closer to her side.

They reach a large empty building and she raises her hand slowly. Timidly looking around Abe notices the creatures running off in packs, all in different directions. Only half a dozen or so remain around the two bipeds as they slowly make their way into the building. As the door closes Abe hears a blood curdling scream and pulls against Maria's grasp.

"My friends are going to give us a little cover." Her dark voice whispers as she pulls the stumbling man away from the door. "Come on, Abraham. It's okay…it's okay…"

"N-No!" Abe stutters becoming frantic as red fills his mind. "Those monsters are eating them!"

Abe pulls away from a solemn Maria and runs to the door. His hand touches the handle and a large snarling face appears in front of the glass. Jumping back Abe clasps his mouth and shakes his head. This is his fault. Turning back to Maria and her cold expression Abe steps away from the door to find himself as they say, between a rock and a hard place.

"Forget them Abraham." She whispers, her eyes boring into his. "They're all dead. Those people who are sheep mean nothing to creatures like us."

"Sheep?" Abraham quirks, startled by Maria's opinion of the people he has dedicated his life to protect. "Creatures? I'm not-"

"-Human." Maria interrupts. "Anymore anyway, and look at you now. You're beautiful Abraham." She breaths his name and holds out her hand. "And I need you to save me with that inhuman beauty."

"S-Save you?" Abe questions as he takes a small step towards her.

"I'm dying Abraham." She whispers, her fingertips suddenly brushing his. "This body is dying."

"You want my body?" He asks, somewhat offended when she laughs at him.

"No." Her lips part, she takes his hand and she smiles coyly. "I want you."

After a pause Abe turns his head to one side a little confused and expecting her to continue.

"Maria…you want, what?" He asks innocently.

"Hm, I do not think you've read any books on this matter. Or you're stupid…" She grumbles with a forced smile. "But, you'll find out soon enough either way Abraham. I have a room for us upstairs." She gently kisses his knuckles and turns, leaving him with her pets. "Do not eat him."

"Eat me?" Abe squeaks as he looks at a pair of drooling jaws. "Maria?" He calls weakly.

"I'll send for you when I'm ready." She says as she enters an elevator. "In the meantime, keep him away from all doors and windows." Her eyes narrow towards the creatures as the doors shut tight with a creaky slam.

Pulling his arms in towards himself Abe shuts out their dark thoughts. Treading the ground as if he were walking on this ice Abe follows the snarling creatures to of all places, the kitchen. Curiously reaching out and setting his fingertips on the cool metal counters as he walks morbidly around to the back wall he can feel the room come alive; sweet smells and gentle flavors fill his senses as he closes his eyes and revels in his short departure from this nightmare of a situation. Opening his eyes to miss the raid of the peaceful chefs Abe begins to let his mind wander.

Exactly what does Maria…or rather her alter ego, want exactly?

"Oh Red…what have I-gotten myself into?" He whispers to himself. "But, I must save the woman I love, despite the cost." His eyes look dead into those of a growling wolf who apparently has enough sense to know when someone is reading its mind.

--

"They're all gone." Hellboy grumbles as he lowers his gun. "Any sigh of Blue?" He asks, peeking around a corner to make eye contact with Liz.

Holding a tattered book with a bandaged head and dust covered body Liz solemnly looks up at her lover. One look into her eyes reads a lifetime of hopelessness. Being a woman herself, Liz had felt a slight kinship with Maria that usually does not exist in a fairly well assumed man-only operating center. Maria had been a friend of some kind, not the best but…something.

Hellboy walks over to Liz as she gently touches the red liquid staining the novel's cover. Stepping over a dead agent Hellboy opens his good arm to her. The library that his father built is in shambles, books missing pages and covers, priceless heirlooms chomped like chew toys; Hellboy can barely bear it. He lets out a soft, low sigh as him and Liz look around together. Without Abe, there seems to be a lack of order to the world.

"Do you think…he's okay?" Liz hoarsely whispers. "Red?" She pounds her fist on his chest when he does not answer.

"Aw Sparky…" He sighs. "I…I think he's okay. Abe, he's a tough fish stick."

Liz gently smiles as she wraps her arms around him. He smiles warmly.

"We have to go get him before they change that." She says. "Maria…doesn't want to hurt him…she doesn't Red." She mumbles. "But if we don't get to him she is going to do something…terrible to him. That thing inside her is going to do something terrible to him."

Hellboy looks into her eyes and sees the urgency there. He nods.

"Lets go then."

--

"Stop pushing me you gargantuan! Y-You ruffian!" Abe growls as he is shoved out of the kitchen and into a dark staircase. "I…have to go…up there?" His quiet question is answered by a sharp snarl.

A cold death grip claims his throat as the water in his breathing apparatus uncomfortably cools his gills. The walls are caked with a brick red residue, proof that at one point this pace had living people inside. Something hollow hits Abe's foot and he nearly trips forwards. Catching himself on the wall, his mind goes red. Yanking his hand back and cradling it with his other palm Abe glances down at the hollow object. Shivers run up his spine as he briefly glances at a human skull…too small and fragile to be fully developed.

..no dawdling abraham…

That voice. Abe narrows his eyes to see a flickering light at the top of the staircase. She is up there, waiting for him. Swallowing a lump in his throat Abe ascends to what he presumes to be his final resting place with a complacent expression. There is no real fear because he knows he is doing it for her. To save his first kiss and his first love Abe takes step after slow moderate step. Shinning like an indecisive beacon to heaven Abe wonders if he will be bathed in her light or swallowed by its darkness.

…come in abraham…

The voice is alluring, like a siren's song. As the melodious sound fills his ears Abe feels a flash of dread as he realizes that he is going to crash head first into the rocks. He hesitates crossing the threshold, knowing he cannot take such dedication back.

…come in…I have a surprise for you dear…

"I…" He stammers with his foot hanging in the air over the threshold. "Maria."

Whispering her name gives him some kind of bravery he hadn't really thought he possessed. Walking cautiously into the room with his shoulders cradling his skull and his hands folded over one another Abe timidly looks around as a wave of paranoia fill every vein and ignite every instinct his body has to offer. The door closes by itself and Abe jumps. A gentle coo of a laugh makes Abe whip his head away from the locked door.

And there she is. Clad in a soft velvety robe colored black with large fluffy white feathers on the trim Maria bats her red eyes and smiles a sharp smile. And there's the smell, nothing found on earth could smell so incredibly intoxicating. Everything about her is pleasing, even her bloodstained eyes draw him closer. This creature is nothing but a big warning, yet no man could resist. Approaching her is priority when she looks or speaks your way, especially to a lovesick fool like Abraham.

…after tonight…I will be free…come here…

"A-Are you…going to drink my blood?" Abe asks. "Are y-you go-go-going to…kill me?"

…I want to…

A startling answer that repulses Abe from her silky eyes.

…the last few drops of a living person's blood is always sweetest…

She smiles, eyeing Abe hungrily.

…the cries softening…struggling growing weaker…bodies thriving…and then the eyes…

She breathes out heavily, licking her lips. Digging her nails into the large fluffy bedspread the creature imagines something dark. The feeling of rapture as a body grows limp and the light slowly dims in a person's eyes; to her that transition is the most beautiful thing in the world. Abe feels her thoughts aimed directly at him and remembers his vision…his body hanging off of the bed in a pool of blood. His blood. He presses his back to the door and tries to calm his racing heart.

"Are you going to do that to me?" He asks quietly, eyes adverted from hers.

…oh abraham…i'm going to do so many things to you…lets not focus on just that shall we…

Abe bolts completely upright, nervously reaching behind his back for the knob. For a moment, the virgin in him decides to bolt…and bolt very fast. The creature watches him with amusement.

…do not make me chase you abraham…its only going to excite me…

"Ahh!" He shrieks, pulling his hand away from the knob.

--

"Damn!"

A loud yelp echoes through the air as his large stone hand connects with the plush face of an oversized wolf hound. Hellboy watches it intently as the creature lays still, camouflaged by the dark street. Swift footsteps are caught just as they leave the ground and Hellboy rolls to his right. He hits his back to a streetlight as the wolf slides along the pavement and bumps into a small pinto car. Sensing the dent a weak but apparent alarm goes off that would alert its owner, if she were not lying over the length of two city blocks in a pool of her own blood. Narrowing his eyes Hellboy digs his stone fingers into the sidewalk and lifts himself up.

"Now you know how we feel when we go after you all the time." Liz sarcastically breathes into her communicator microphone.

"Hey…no backseat heroing Sparky." Hellboy warns playfully. "You just save what little strength you've got into finding Blue so I can get him away from that crazy broad."

"Can do Red." Liz weakly chuckles. "Someone finally found me some proper medication…remind me to tell Abe not to hide the medical cabinet keys when we finally drag his blue A-wall ass back here to B.P.R.D headquarters."

"I hear ya Liz." Hellboy grunts as grabs onto the drooling jaws of a wolf. "I'm a little-busy right now-though…you go-and get some rest…let me do some, footwork. Maybe-I'll…get-lucky up here."

"Alright Red. I'll keep you posted." Liz groggily answers as the radio shuts off. "Sparky…out."

Roaring like a beast, Hellboy hears the snapping of bones as he forces the creatures face into the ground. Teeth and spit splatter everywhere as Hellboy crouches in a fixed position. Once the wolf limply confirms its demise Hellboy stands and looks around. There are a few wolves in the shadows…they're not dumb enough to run at him, but they are looking. Tilting his head to crack his neck Hellboy glowers towards the creatures. He looks them right in the eye and snarls.

"Where's my blue buddy ya overgrown dust bunnies?"

The wolves look at Hellboy curiously for a moment, as if processing the statement. But their gears are turning for another matter for they know exactly what he is after. Their duty is to keep him as far away as possible for as long as possible. Out of the shadows runs a third wolf and he has something in his mouth. Two yellow eyes widen as two red ears hear the sound of a baby crying. Swearing he can see the wolf smile, Hellboy angrily charges at the creature with his fist wound back.

"Give me the kid!" Hellboy double takes as a wolf runs past his target. "Did he just…the baby!" He urgently chases after the crying baby as wolves play their little sadistic version of hot potato.

--

"P-Please…This is too much-too soon!" Abe ducks below her sweeping grasp. "I'm not ready for anything…nothing…none of that!" He tumbles across the room and collides head first into the wall farthest from the door.

…enough games abraham…come to me…or i'll come to you…

"B-But…oh dear…I really-do not want to…" He wines hopelessly.

…do not make me restrain you…trust me when I say you will be displeased...

Abe watches her slowly saunter to the bed, her eyes never leaving his. Those red heartless eyes, filled with impure lust that makes Abe's clammy skin crawl. He would rather skin himself alive than go over to that monstrous creature. Fulfilling her hunger certainly seems to be leading towards his demise as the vision had predicted, but truth be told, in his heart Abe knows that Maria is in there weeping.

He can feel her, buried deep within this nameless monster's mind. Her, the creature's slender fingers beckon him and without much choice his feet slide forcefully forwards. Porcelain skin and spring time eyes dance in front of his eyelids as Abe intakes a bracing breath. An unknown force that she seems to possess pulls him in. Abe closes his eyes as a row of fanned out, soft as silk fingertips slide up his forearm.

…its okay abraham…you can say her name if you want to…

Her melodic voice coos into his ear. Abe can only hear the gentle words of a trapped soul, telling him to forget his chivalry. They will never be together…Abe knows that now. Still, his love for her will never go away, like that image in his mind of her gently smiling face. What is a world you have no stake in worth anyway? The bed is soft like the silk in a coffin. Abe opens his eyes only once to look out the window. Moonlight fills his vision and he sighs. How he would have liked to see the sun rise once more.

"…But fate beckons, and calls…nevermore…" His voice is low and choked as the chilling air hits his exposed gills. "…nevermore…"

Abe's eyes are closed when he feels the tickling of her breath on his neck. Taking in a gulp of thick air, Abe readies himself for the bite. In the back of his mind he imagines selfishly that Hellboy and Liz arrive to save him. But the sharp pain in his neck quickly proves his hopes to be wrong. His body convulses upwards as she slowly digs her teeth into his flesh; it hurts so much at first that Abe tries to escape. A stern grip keeps his flopping under control until the endorphins, the secret weapon of the vampire kick in. Abe slowly feels he is growing relaxed. Against his will, Abe is soon unable to move. All he can do is feel her hands roam. His body twitches involuntarily at the nerve piercing fangs in his slender throat.

And amongst the madness are a million memories of men and children lying at her feet in red rivers. Abe feels himself unable to breath, unable to speak. His hands tremble as washing sensation floods over his body. A gentle kiss opens his eyes. Maria gently strokes  
Abe's face and assures him that he will be fine. Her eyes are savoring him and that melodious voice is like a soft song as she takes him into her arms. They roll over and Abe looks down at her, his golden curls bouncing over his shoulders. Maria gently runs her fingers through the silken locks as she leans up to kiss his slender neck.

Abe's blue eyes lock with hers as he gently curves his tired expression into a smile. She runs her fingertips over the warm cream colored flesh of her lover and pulls him to her. Into his perfectly formed ears she whispers sweet nothings that make him forget all the pain in the world. Abe forgets all of his own misfortune as he sinks into the silk with a smile on his face.

And he whispers, Maria.

--

"There…good baby." Hellboy coos as tucks the baby under his normal arm. "Bad dog." He points with a pursed lip at a wolf pinned against a lamp post with the metal bar from a street sign.

Around him there is blood and the remnants of people's pleas for help. Somewhere in the river of blood that this part of the city has become police will find the child's mother. How sad it is that all of this was caused by one person…one woman. Narrowing his gaze, Hellboy declares with determination that this monster needs to be stopped. B.P.R.D. can only section off limits for so long and Abe has left no clues as to his whereabouts. For a moment, Hellboy wonders if Abe wants to be found, but decides that he does not care. Abe should not be allowed to throw his life away, not like this.

"Red?" Liz's voice softly calls. "What happened?"

"I got a kid." Hellboy says.

"A kid?" Liz sounds startled. "At least someone's alive down there besides you. Agents are on their way to search for survivors."

"And me?" He asks.

"You need to go to Moonlight Avenue." She sounds like she softly smiling.

"Code Blue?"

"Code Blue, Brother Red…" Liz lets out a loud sigh of relief. "A vehicle will meet you to pick up the kid. Go bring him home."

Hellboy cannot help but smile. Looking down at the baby Hellboy seems to get an odd kind of vertigo. The baby has moved to his stone hand, which as it slumbers, does not even mind at all. He pulls out his gun and quickly flips it open to check his bullets. Narrowing his expression he flips the barrel closed and holds it up to a dead wolf, aiming with one eye. He imagines for a moment, blowing that creature in two.

--

Cracking his eyes open, Abe tries to focus his blurred vision, but the loss of blood is weakening him by the second. He feels an empty cold overcoming his body as the world starts drifting away from him. A lost feeling of indecency returns as the illusion grips his racing heart. Her hands are keeping him from the rhythm, and her fangs are bringing a great pain. Choking on his dry throat Abe trembles beneath her. Red eyes narrow at his displeasure and aggravatingly sharpen as Abe begins seeing past her siren spell. Frustratingly her open palm comes down and harshly connects across his face. Through the illusion Abe looks and sees only a monster.

"What is the matter with you?" She roars as her hands clench into claws. "You are pathetic…"

Abe hazily looks up at the monster, glad that he won't die with a smile on his face. Meanwhile, the monster snarls a sneer at his heart. Look, smell, sound and touch cannot fool him…

"I should slice your throat and drown you in a pool of your own blood, you web toed freak." She snaps as she rolls off the bed. "What makes that damned nobody so special, that you would deny me? What?" The monstrous woman demands as she wipes the blood from her face.

Abe hazily lets his head fall to its side towards the sound of her voice. His lips part with a gentle shake to them as his eyes begin to dull. He looks so incredibly helpless.

"…" Abe says nothing and though there is no real expression on his face, he appears to be smiling.

"T-This is not a joke you bottom feeder!" The monster screams, brandishing a knife from the nearby table. "I am perfect-my body is perfect-my face is perfect…a-and you, I hate you-you ugly thing!" She raises the knife over her head to strike him. "I'm going to chop you up and make fish tacos out of you." Her eyes darken as she gently places the blade to his chest. "…if anything, you taste delicious…"

…Abraham…

--

"Red? Red, you there yet?"

Hellboy leaps from the still moving car and charges a guard dog. After grabbing another one by the jaws he grits a reply.

"Yeah Sparky…Just need to get to the top floor somehow."

Hellboy races to the top, dog bodies piling up and filling the stairways with the stench of death. He breaths heavily as he kicks in the door. Entering, he sees the bed and watches Maria's body convulse. The blade tumbles to the floor and she crumples on top of Abe. They lay there, still for a moment, frozen in time. Hellboy walks up to the bed with his gun raised.

"Blue?" Hellboy whispers. "Blue?"

Maria lifts herself up and smiles at Hellboy. Her eyes are green as spring, and vivid as her swelling heart. She laughs. It is dainty and angelic. Hellboy takes a step back...then Abe moves. He holds his breath. Maria laughs. Glowing with life Maria reaches out to Hellboy.

"The voice is gone..." Maria chuckles as she rolls off of the be and lays on the floor-she takes in a deep breath.

Hellboy walks over to Abe and gently touches him.

"Blue?" He whispers, gently. "Buddy...are you..."

Abe's eyes flicker open. He jumps into a sitting position. Breathing heavily, Abe looks over at Maria. A silhouetted wolf leaps from the floor and at once she laughs and cries. Maria is consumed as she holds her hand out to the one she loves. Abe's hand hangs in the air, but he too weak to speak. Hellboy closes his eyes. What can anyone do now, when Abe needs immediate medical attention?

"Blue...she's gone. Maria's gone."

Hellboy carefully picks up his friend. Limp in his arms, Abe is carried down the stairs. Hellboy turns on his communicator.

"Liz. We're coming back."

"We?"

"We."

Abe looks off into the sky as he is taken from the building. Up atop a roof is a shadowy figure in the shape of a wolf. It's red eyes mock him as its jagged white grin spreads. Unable to keep consciousness Abe closes his eyes, knowing he has a year to find Maria. Once the child is born...they may no longer need her-His beloved.

END

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Okay...how long did it take me to finish this? Too long, I concur. Terribly sorry everyone who read this fic-you must all be so TICKED! Anyway, I had a hard time ending this properly...and yeah the ending doesn't seem like an ending, but I like not telling the whole story. Maybe Abe finds her and they live happily ever after...maybe he never sees her again? I just hope you guys enjoyed the story. Probably won't write any more Hellboy...so this may be my one and only fic of this particular fandom. I doubt it, but if anyone's interested keep an eye open for my newest fic, which will be based off of my life as a teenage robot (I know Hellboy-teenage robot, hellboy...teenage robot?)

Anyway...thanks for reading! And, let me know what you think happens...I may write a one-shot follow up if someone suggests anything good or I get enough support to do another. I'm a sucker for reviews!


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